&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Proceedings and
Summary Report
Workshop on Assessing and
Managing Mercury from
Historic and Current Mining
Activities
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
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EPA/625/R-04/102
February 2005
Proceedings and Summary Report
Workshop on Assessing and Managing
Mercury from Historic and Current
Mining Activities
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
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Notice
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency), through its Office of Research and Devel-
opment (ORD), sponsored a workshop in San Francisco, California on November 28-30, 2000 titled Assess-
ing and Managing Mercury from Historic and Current Mining Activities. This document was compiled by
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) under Contract 68-C7-001 from presentations and
open discussion at the workshop. The views expressed in these Proceedings are those of the individual
authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of EPA. Scientists in ElA's Office of Research
and Development have prepared the EPA sections, and those sections have been reviewed in accordance
with EPA's peer and administrative review policies and approved for presentation and publication. Mention
of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. The
references contained within the presentation abstracts have been provided by the speakers. For questions
regarding abstract content or references, please contact the speakers directly.
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Abstract
Mercury deposits in mines have been shown to pose a significant hazard to residents and wildlife where
drainage from these deposits enters the environment through streams and rivers. For this reason, the extent
of mercury contamination in the United States is of significant environmental concern. The U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating the many different sources of mercury contamination. As a
result of these uncertainties, numerous EPA Program Offices-including the Office of Prevention, Pesticides
and Toxic Substances (OPPTS), Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), Office of Water (OW), Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), and Office of Research and Development (ORD)-have made
commitments to enhance government, industry, and public awareness of potential hazards associated with
the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) effects of mercury in the environment. In fact, mercury is
one of many PBT chemicals that continues to be an environmental concern, as generated hazardous waste
or incidental release to the environment, long after its intended use. It is the Agency's intent to reduce the
generation of PBTs, including mercury, in hazardous waste by 50 percent by the year 2005 through various
pollution prevention and state-of-the-art disposal practices (EPA, 1998).
A workshop, Assessing and Managing Mercury from Historic and Current Mining Activities, was held on
November 28-30, 2000 in San Francisco, California. The primary objectives of this workshop were to 1)
identify state-of-the-science practices and techniques for reducing the use and release of mercury at its
source, while understanding mercury fate and transport mechanisms and assessing mercury's impacts to
human health and the ecology, and 2) determine what role ORD can play in the research activities required
to fulfill the goal of the Mercury Research Strategy (MRS). Presentations during the plenary session, techni-
cal sessions, and panel discussions addressed identifying and characterizing sources, mercury speciation
and mobility, watershed impairment, watershed management tools and priorities, air emissions and im-
pacts, and remediating and treating contaminated sites and materials. Presenters were from EPA, the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), state agencies, industry, acadernia, technology developers, consulting firms,
and international organizations. This report contains a summary of the material presented during the work-
shop, including technical session abstracts and summaries of the plenary session and the panel discussion.
The final agenda and list of attendees are presented in Appendices A and B.
in
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Foreword
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation's land,
air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency strives to formulate
and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability of natural
systems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA's research program is providing data and
technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science knowledge base neces-
sary to manage our ecological resources wisely, understand how pollutants affect our health, and prevent or
reduce environmental risks in the future.
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is the Agency's center for investigation of
technological and management approaches for preventing and reducing risks from pollution that threaten
human health and the environment. The focus of the Laboratory's research program is on methods and their
cost-effectiveness for prevention and control of pollution to air, land, water, and subsurface resources; pro-
tection of water quality in public water systems; remediation of contaminated sites, sediments and ground
water; prevention and control of indoor air pollution; and restoration of ecosystems. NRMRL collaborates
with both public and private sector partners to foster technologies that reduce the cost of compliance and to
anticipate emerging problems. NRMRL's research provides solutions to environmental problems by: devel-
oping and promoting technologies that protect and improve the environment; advancing scientific and engi-
neering information to support regulatory and policy decisions; and providing the technical support and
information transfer to ensure implementation of environmental regulations and strategies at the national,
state, and community levels.
This publication has been produced as part of the Laboratory's strategic long-term research plan. It is pub-
lished and made available by EPA's Office of Research and Development to assist the user community and
to link researchers with their clients.
Sally C. Gutierrez, Acting Director
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
IV
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Contents
Notice ii
Abstract iii
Foreword iv
Contents v
List of Acronyms vii
Acknowledgments x
Section 1: Executive Summary 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Background 1
1.3 Purpose 3
1.4 Scope of the Proceedings Document 3
1.5 References 3
Section 2: Plenary Session 5
2.1 EPA: Developing a Strategy on Mercury Research 5
2.2 Managing Mercury Issues on a Continental Scale 10
2.3 Regional Office Perspective 12
2.4 Mercury Emissions from Mining Operations in Nevada: a State Perspective 15
2.5 USGS Mercury Research 16
2.6 County Role in Mercury Assessment and Cleanup 17
2.7 County Role in Mercury Assessment and Cleanup 18
2.8 The Management of Mercury in The Modern Mining Industry. 19
Section 3: Technical Sessions 22
3.1 Modern Mining 22
3.1.1 Sources of Mercury from Mineral Deposits 22
3.1.2 An Inventory of Mercury from Gold Mining Operations 28
3.1.3 The Problem of Mercury Contamination in Gold-mining Areas of Russia 31
3.1.4 Coal Cleaning as a Tool for Controlling Mercury Emissions from Coal Combustion 33
3.1.5 Mercury Emissions from Induration of Taconite Concentrate Pellets 36
3.2 Source Identification and Characterization 36
3.2.1 Contributions of Mercury to California's Environment from Mercury and Gold Mining
Activities — Insights from the Historical Record 36
3.2.2 Importance of Research of Historic Information on Mines in California that Used or
Produced Mercury 40
3.2.3 Mercury Associated with Lode Gold Mining in the Sierra Nevada Region, California 43
3.2.4 Mercury Recycling Pilot Project (MRPP) 47
3.2.5 Historic Gold Mining, Mercury Amalgamation, and Potential for Environmental Impacts in
the Eastern U.S 49
3.2.6 Characterizing Mercury in the Comstock Lode: Macro to Micro Techniques 56
3.3 Methodology, Speciation, and Mobility. 61
3.3.1 Microbial Mercury Cycling in Sediments Associated with Historic Mining in California 61
3.3.2 Uncertainty Analysis of the Carson River Mercury Transport Model 65
3.3.3 Assessing the Mobility of Mercury in Mine Waste 71
3.3.4 Application of Selective Extractions to the Determination of Mercury Speciation in Mine
Tailings and Adjacent Soils 73
3.3.5 Speciation of Natural Mercury-Bearing Materials Using X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy. 78
3.4 Watershed Impairment: Defining Magnitude and Boundaries 84
3.4.1 MeHg in Water and Bottom Sediment Along the Carson River System, Nevada and
California, September 1998 84
3.4.2 The Impact of Mercury Mining on Tomales Bay Biota 89
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3.4.3 Mercury in Native Metal Deposits: "Focusing Troughs" Reveal An Unexpected Source to
Lake Superior Sediments 91
3.5 Air Emissions and Air Impact Assessment 93
3.5.1 Uncertainties in Mass Balance of U.S. Atmospheric Mercury Emissions 93
3.5.2 The History of Mercury Emissions from the New Almaden Mines, Santa Clara County, California...98
3.5.3 Atmospheric Mercury Emissions from Mine Waste 107
3.5.4 The Importance of Emissions Speciation to the Atmospheric Transport and Deposition of
Mercury 112
3.5.5 Atmospheric Mercury Fluxes as Recorded in Lake Sediments: The Lack of an Historic Global
Signal From Au and Ag Mining 115
3.5.6 Estimation of Mercury Vapor Flux from Natural Geologic Sources in Nevada 119
3.5.7 Mercury Emission and Re-emission from Diffuse Area Sources: The Dilemma of Small
Emissions from Large Surfaces, The "Inert" Nature of Elemental Mercury Vapor, and
Missing Sinks in the Global Mercury Cycle 126
3.6 Watershed Impairment: Development Management Tools and Priorities 130
3.6.1 Mercury Contamination in Lahontan Valley Wetlands 130
3.6.2 Downstream Indicators of Mining-Related Mercury Exposure: Findings from the Sacramento-
San Joaquin Delta and Its Tributaries 135
3.7 Remediation and Treatment 137
3.7.1 Reducing Mercury Production at Bald Mountain Mine 137
3.7.2 Assessment and Remediation at the Mother Lode Mine, Crook County, Oregon 145
3.7.3 Mercury Pollution from the Hg Mining Area and Reclamation 149
3.7.4 Historic Unreclaimed Mercury Mines in Asturias (Northwestern Spain): Environmental
Approaches 149
3.7.5 Silica Micro Encapsulation - An Innovative Technology for the Control of Heavy Metals...154
3.7.6 Potential Economic Benefit From Innovative Mercury Separation Technology 157
3.7.7 Removal of Mercury from Contaminated Water Using Alkali Ash Permeable Reactive Barrier
(AFA-PRB) Material 163
3.7.8 Remediation and Legal Case Histories of the Buena Vista and Klau Mines, Two Mercury
Mines in the Las Tablas Creek Watershed, San Luis Obispo County 167
3.8 Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine 172
3.8.1 An Evaluation of Remote-Sensing Tools for Hydrologic Investigations 172
3.8.2 The Active Hydrothermal System and Mercury Flux at Sulphur Bank Mine, California 175
3.8.3 Recent Geochemical Sampling and Mercury Sources at Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, Lake
County California 180
3.8.4 Influence of Acid Mine Drainage from the Abandoned Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine on Methyl
Mercury Production in Clear Lake (CA) 183
3.8.5 Bounds on Subsurface Mercury Flux from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, Lake County,
California 190
Section 4: Panel Discussion 194
4.1 Introduction 194
4.2 Session Summaries 194
4.2.1 Luke Trip, Environment Canada (Managing Mercury in Mining) 194
4.2.2 Glenn Eurick, Barrick Gold Corporation (Modern Mining) 195
4.2.3 Jim Rytuba, USGS (Source Identification and Characterization) 195
4.2.4 Rick Wilkin, EPA NRMRL (Methodology, Speciation, Mobility) 195
4.2.5 Mae Gustin, UNR (Air Emissions and Air Impact Assessment) 196
4.2.6 Jeanette Berry, Oak Ridge National Laboratories (Remediation and Treatment) 197
4.2.7 Edward Hanlon, EPA, ORD HQ (Watershed Impairment) 197
4.3 Panel and Audience Discussion 200
Section 5: Conclusions 203
5.1 Key Points 203
5.2 Research Recommendations 204
Bibliography 205
Appendix A Agenda A-1
Appendix B List of Attendees B-1
vi
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List of Acronyms
M9
ug/kg
ug/m3
AER
AFA-PRB
Ag
AMD
Au
BAT
BOAT
BLM
BVMI
CAA
Cl
CLP
cm
cm3
CM
cm/sec
COPC
CRS
CS
CVAFS
D
DEQ
DOC
DOC/DMG
DOE
DOI
DISC
E
E&E
EE/CA
EPA
EPRI
ERA
EXAFS
FASP lab
FDA
FGD
ft/day
ft3/day
ft3/s
g
g/day
9/L
g/t
GIS
GM
GPR
GPRA
HAP
HgP
HgT
HHRA
HP
1C
micrograms
micrograms per gram
micrograms per kilogram
micrograms per liter
micrograms per cubic meter
Atmospheric & Environmental Research, Inc.
Alkali Fly Ash-Permeable Reactive Barrier
silver
acid-mine drainage
gold
Best Available Technology
Best Demonstrated Available Technologies
Bureau of Land Management
Buena Vista Mines Inc.
Clean Air Act
confidence interval
Contract Laboratory Program
centimeter
cubic centimeter
cinnabar mine in southeastern Alaska
centimeters per second
constituents of potential concern
constant rate of supply
contaminated sites
cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotornetry
demethylation rate coefficient
Department of Environmental Quality
U.S. Department of Conservation
Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of the Interior
Department of Toxic Substance Control
diffusion rate
Ecology and Environment, Inc.
Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Electric Power Research Institute
ecological risk assessment
extended x-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy
mobile field laboratory
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
flue gas desulfurization
feet per day
cubic feet per day
cubic feet per second
grams
grams per day
grams per liter
grams per ton
geographic information system
gold mine
ground penetrating/probing radar
Government Performance and Results Act
hazardous air pollutants
particulate mercury
total mercury
human health risk assessment
Herman Pit
Institutional Controls
VII
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kg
kg/day
kg/yr
km
km2
L/min
Ib
Ibs/hr
Ibs/yr
m
m2
I712/S
m3
m3/hr
m3/min
m3/s
M
MACT
MeHg
mg/kg
mg/g
mg/m3
mg/L
Mg/yr
MLF
MLM
MRDS
MRPP
MRS
MTF
MUF
NAAQS
NAFTA
NARAP
NAS
NESHAPs
NETL
ng/g
ng/L
ng/m2/hr
ng/m3
ng/ml
NGO
NOAA
NPL
NRC
NRMRL
NSF
NSPS
NVDEP
NWR
OAR
OIA
ONF
OPPTS
OR-OSHA
ORD
OSHA
OSWER
kilograms
kilograms per day
kilograms per year
kilometer
square kilometers
liters per minute
pound
pounds per hour
pounds per year
meter
square meter
square meters per second
cubic meter
cubic meters per hour
cubic meters per minute
cubic meters per second
methylation rate coefficient
Maximum Achievable Control Technology
methylmercury
milligrams per kilogram
milligrams per gram
milligrams per cubic meter
milligrams per liter
megagrams per year
mercury loss factor
Mother Lode Mine
Mineral Resources Data System
Mercury Recycling Pilot Project
Mercury Research Strategy
Mercury Task Force
mercury usage factor
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Regional Action Plan
National Academy of Sciences
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
National Energy Technology Laboratory
nanograms per gram
nanograms per liter
nanograms per square meter per hour
nanograms per cubic meter
nanograms per milliliter
nongovernment organizations
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Priorities List
National Research Council
National Risk Management Research Laboratory (EPA)
National Science Foundation
New Source Performance Standards
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
National Wildlife Refuges
Office of Air and Radiation (EPA)
Office of International Affairs (EPA)
Ochoco National Forest
Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (EPA)
Oregon Occupational Health and Safety
Office of Research and Development (EPA)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (EPA)
VIM
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ow
PA/SI
PBL
PBT
pg/m3
ppb
ppm
PRE
PRG
RAGS
RAO
RCRA
REDOX
RfD
RGM
RIFS
RWQCB
SBMM
SEDEX
SME
SPIS
SSRL
STAR
SWRCB
t/day
t/yr
TCLP
TGM
THg
TMDL
TMeHg
TRI
UAO
UCL
UNR
USBM
USFS
USGS
XAS
Office of Water (EPA)
preliminary assessment/site inspection
planetary boundary layer
persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic
picograms per cubic meter
parts per billion
parts per million
preliminary risk estimate
preliminary remediation goal
Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund
Remedial Action Order
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
oxidation/reduction
reference dose
reactive gaseous mercury
remedial information feasibility study
Regional Water Quality Control Board
Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine
sedimentary exhalitive
silica micro encapsulation
Superfund Public Information System
Stanford University Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory
Science to Achieve Results (EPA)
State Water Resources Control Board
tons per day
tons per year
toxic characteristics leaching procedure
total gaseous mercury
total mercury
total maximum daily limit
total methylmercury
Toxic Release Inventory
Unilateral Administrative Order
upper confidence limit
University of Nevada, Reno
U.S. Bureau of Mines
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Geological Survey
x-ray absorption spectroscopy
IX
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Section 1
Executive Summary
1.1 Introduction
Anthropogenic releases of mercury to air, water, and land have adversely impacted human health and the
environment for many years. EPA Program Offices-including the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances (OPPTS), Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), Office of Water (OW), Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (OSWER), Office of International Affairs (OIA), and Office of Research and Develop-
ment (ORD)-have made commitments to enhance government, industry, and public awareness of the po-
tential hazards associated with the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) effects of mercury in the
environment. Key scientific questions have compelled ORD to support the Agency's mission to develop a
Mercury Research Strategy (MRS, 1999) and to take a more proactive stance in identifying and implement-
ing research programs designed to meet out-year goals in promoting the pollution prevention and risk man-
agement of mercury.
To answer these questions, ORD conducted a series of technology transfer workshops that focused on the
following risk management areas of concern: combustion sources, noncombustion sources, mercury in
mining, ecological impacts and assessment, and mercury retirement. This proceedings document presents
and summarizes the findings of the workshop, "Assessing and Managing Mercury from Historic and Current
Mining Activities," held from November 28 to November 30, 2000 in San Francisco, California.
1.2 Background
Mercury is the only metallic element that is fluid at ordinary temperatures. Its common name, quicksilver,
means live or fluid silver. Metallic mercury is very dense, about 13.5 times as heavy as water. Its chemical
symbol is Hg, for hydrargyrum (from the Greek words hydro, or water, and argyros, or silver). Most mercury
comes from cinnabar, the only important ore of mercury, which consists of mercuric sulfide that occurs in
brilliant red crystals or in red or brownish masses. To obtain pure mercury, refiners heat cinnabar in a flow of
air. Oxygen in the air combines with sulfur in the ore, forming sulfur dioxide gas and leaving elemental
mercury behind:
HgS (s) + 02 (g) -> Hg + SO2 (g).
Mercury has many different uses. It is used in electrical switches, fluorescent lamps, mercuric oxide batter-
ies, fungicides, Pharmaceuticals, munitions, paper production, and the extraction of gold (1). Mercury was
used extensively in gold mining in former centuries and even until the 1950s (2). Amalgamation, which relies
on the contact of gold ore with mercury to form a gold-mercury amalgam, is one of the oldest processes
available. The amalgam is then "roasted" (commonly by using a blowtorch), and mercury is driven off as a
vapor. The unused liquid mercury is often lost to surface water. This process is strongly out of favor with the
major mining companies due to the extremely toxic nature of mercury and the process's inferior perfor-
mance when compared to the available alternatives, e.g., cyanide leaching. However, because of its sim-
plicity, the amalgam process is still used extensively by artesian mines or deep bored wells in the third world
countries and at small "mom and pop" mines (3).
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), mercury was produced as a byproduct at nine gold mining
operations in Nevada, California, and Utah. Other gold mines in these states were believed to have recov-
ered mercury, but data were not available to make estimates (4). Mercury may be a byproduct of gold mining
due to the geology of mineral deposits containing the metal. In this case, the naturally occurring mercury is
liberated from its mineralogical matrix. Recovering the mercury as a byproduct is environmentally favorable
over dumping it into the tailings pond (2).
Mercury is a heavy metal that has no known metabolic purpose, is toxic to living organisms, and adversely
affects the central nervous system of humans. Mercury can be converted from inorganic compounds such
as cinnabar to organic forms such as methylmercury (MeHg), which is easily absorbed by living organisms.
Mercury deposits and mines are a potential hazard to residents and wildlife because drainage from these
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deposits enters streams and rivers that are part of the local ecosystem (1). For this reason, the extent of
mercury contamination in the United States is of high environmental concern.
Presently, a number of gold mines and EPA Superfund sites are contaminated with mercury. The Carson
River Mercury Site is a good example of the extent of mercury contamination. It consists of (1) sediments in
an approximately 50-mile stretch of the Carson River in Lyon and Churchill Counties, beginning between
Carson City and Dayton, Nevada, and extending downstream through the Lahontan Reservoir to Stillwater
National Wildlife Refuge; and (2) tailing piles associated with the river. Mining began in the Carson River
drainage basin in 1850 when placer gold deposits were discovered near Dayton at the mouth of Gold
Canyon. Throughout the 1850s, placer deposits were worked for gold in Gold Canyon and Six Mile Canyon.
These ore deposits became known as the Comstock Lode. The general milling process employed before
1900 involved pulverizing ore with stamp mills, creating a slurry, and adding mercury to the mixture. Mercury
forms an amalgam with precious metals, which are then separated by distillation (retorting) of the mercury
from the mixture, leaving the precious metal as the residue. After 1900, cyanide leaching and flotation
processes replaced amalgamation. Elevated mercury levels in the Carson River drainage basin were dis-
covered in the early 1970s when sampling conducted by the USGS revealed elevated levels in river sedi-
ment and unfiltered surface water in the Carson River downstream of pre-1900 ore milling sites. Subse-
quent studies by a number of investigators have further delineated the extent of mercury in river and lake
sediment and water. Based largely on the information presented in these studies, the Carson River below
New Empire was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in August 1990 due to the widespread occur-
rence of mercury (5).
In December of 1997, EPA released an eight-volume report to Congress, mandated by the Clean Air Act,
that evaluated the impact of mercury emissions to air on human health and the environment. The report
estimated that about 159 tons of mercury were emitted into the air in 1995 from all U.S. industrial sources.
One estimate of the total annual global input to the atmosphere from all sources-including natural, anthro-
pogenic (human activities), and oceanic emissions-is 5,500 tons. Therefore, U.S. industrial sources contrib-
uted about 3% of the 5,500 tons released to the atmosphere in 1995. Based on the Mercury Study's emis-
sions inventory, the highest emitters of mercury to the air include coal-burning electric utilities, municipal
waste incinerators, commercial and industrial boilers, medical waste incinerators, chloralkali plants, hazard-
ous waste incinerators, and cement manufacturers. The report did not mention mining operations as a
mercury emissions source (6).
Mercury mines are all small by most mining standards. The largest is the New Almaden mine in California,
where about 30 miles of horizontal underground workings were installed for exploration or development
over a 100-year period. The only major deposit that has been mined by open-pit methods is the Sulphur
Bank Mercury Mine in California, which was discovered 100 years ago. The 120-acre Sulphur Bank Mer-
cury Mine site was initially mined for sulfur from 1865 to 1871. Mercury ore was mined intermittently by
underground methods from 1873 to 1905. The mine, once one of the largest producers of mercury in Califor-
nia, has been inactive since 1957. The mine tailings extend into the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake along 1,200 feet
of shoreline. Approximately 193,600 cubic yards of waste remain on site. Sediments from Clear Lake, soil,
surface water, and fish are contaminated with mercury and arsenic. This was the only mercury mining site
on the Superfund NPL list (7). Through the years, mercury has been produced by 300 mines in 11 states:
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
However, three-fourths of the domestic output has come from six mines, all of which are in California. The
New Almaden mine near San Jose, California is the greatest mercury producer in North America, but most
of its yield occurred prior to World War I. The New Idria mine in central California is the second most
productive mercury mine in North America and was a major producer until the spring of 1972 (8). The
western slopes of the New Idria formation in San Benito County drain to the Pacific Ocean. The eastern
slopes of the New Idria formation flow to the San Joaquin river, where mercury affects the Panoche Creek.
The Aurora mine, Alpine mine, and Larious Canyon mines are also major mercury contaminant sources (9).
Mercury is currently only produced in the United States as a byproduct from gold mining; it is no longer
produced from mercury ore. The last functional mercury ore mine, the McDermitt Mine in Nevada, closed in
1990(10).
Since the closure of the McDermitt Mine, recovery of mercury as a byproduct from gold ores is the only
remaining ore-based production process. In 1996, six U.S. gold mines (four in Nevada, one in California and
one in Utah) produced metallic mercury as a byproduct. The names and locations of these mines are shown
in Table 1 (10). No information was available on the amount of mercury recovered at each facility, although
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the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) reported that 70 tons of mercury were produced as a byproduct of gold
ore mining in 1992. At this time, data are insufficient to estimate the amount of mercury emissions generated
as a byproduct of gold ore mining. According to an industry representative, gold mines utilize mercury
control emissions in order to recover as much mercury as possible (10).
Table 1. U.S. Byproduct Mercury-Producing Gold Mines (1996)
Mine
Alligator Ridge
Carlin Mines Complex
Getchell
Mclaughlin
Mercur
Pinson Mine
Location
White Pines, Nevada
Eureka, Nevada
Humboldt, Nevada
Napa, California
Toole, Utah
Humboldt, Nevada
Operator
Placer Dome U.S.
Newmont Gold Co.
FirstMiss Gold Inc.
Homestake Mining Co.
Barrick Mercury Gold
Pinson Mining Co.
1.3 Purpose
The purpose of this workshop was three-fold:
1. to convey public, nonprofit and private sector perspectives on the assessment and management of
mercury associated with mining processes, residuals, and environmental impacts,
2. to present past, present, and future efforts that address mercury production, contaminant reduction,
and site remediation associated with mining and waste disposal practices, and
3. to identify data gaps and information needs to improve mercury risk assessment and management
practices associated with mining and environmental restoration activities.
Attendance at this workshop numbered over 300, including organizers and participants. Attendees repre-
sented: U.S. government agencies and departments-including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and USGS; state and local government agencies; tribal commu-
nities; nongovernment organizations (NGOs)-including the Meridian Institute and California Communities
Against Toxics; industry-including Barrick Gold, Placer Dome and the Nevada Mining Association; academia;
technology developers; consulting firms; and international participants.
1.4 Scope of the Proceedings Document
This proceedings document is organized in chronological order according to the workshop agenda. The
agenda is included in Appendix A at the back of the document. The workshop started with a plenary session
with presentations representing key stakeholder interests as depicted in Section 2. This was followed by
concurrent technical sessions presented in the form of abstracts and technical briefs found in Section 3.
Technical subject areas included modern mining, source identification and characterization, fate and trans-
port, speciation, watershed impacts, air impact assessment, remediation and treatment, and a case study
featuring the Sulphur Bank Superfund site. Many of the aforementioned mining sites and impacted areas
were presented during the workshop. Section 4 captures the open panel discussion that concluded the
workshop on the third day. Section 5 identifies some key points made during the workshop and future
research needs. Appendix B in the back of this document lists the workshop attendees.
1.5 References
(1) USGS. Environmental Geochemistry of Mercury Mines in Alaska, http://www.usgs.gov
(accessed Sept. 1998).
(2) Personal communications with Felix Hruschka (Mercury Expert). Mercury Network Homepage.
http://www.hruschka.com/hg-net/mercurio.html(accessed Sept. 1998)
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(3) The Basic Processes of Gold Recovery, http://www.gold.com (accessed Sept. 1998).
(4) USGS. Mercury, (http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/mercury/430396.txt
(accessed August 1997).
(5) EPA. Superfund. http://www.epa.gov/oerrpage/superfund (accessed September 1998).
(6) EPA. Mercury Study Report to Congress: Overview, http://www.epa.gov/oar/
mercover.html (accessed September 1998).
(7) Superfund Public Information System (SPIS) CD-ROM and/or Superfund Web Site, http://
www.epa.gov/superfund (accessed October 1998).
(8) Bailey, E. H., Clark, A. L, Smith, R. M., Mercury, United States Mineral Resources, USGS Prof.
Paper, pp. 401-414, 1973.
(9) EPA. Draft Region 9 Mining Plan. Mercury Contamination from Historic Gold Ore Processing in
the Sierra Nevada Foothills and Abandoned Mercury Mines in California's Coastal Region,
June 14, 1999.
(10) EPA. Mercury Study Report to Congress, Volume II: An Inventory of Anthropogenic Mercury Emis-
sions in the United States, December 1997.
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Section 2
Plenary Session
2.1 EPA: Developing a Strategy on Mercury Research — Jon Herrmann, EPA,
NRMRL
Mr. Herrmann of the EPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), opened the meeting
by thanking the attendees for their participation at this and two other workshops on mercury. This workshop
is the third in a series of four workshops on mercury. The first two workshops addressed emission/deposition
monitors and mercury retirement/disposal. A fourth workshop on aquatic and terrestrial transport is sched-
uled during May 2001 in Florida. These workshops were developed to provide direction for EPA's research
efforts and to provide an opportunity for EPA to solicit input and suggestions from EPA Program Offices,
vendors, academia, and other members of the environmental community.
Introduction
EPA's draft Mercury Action Plan (Federal Register, 1998) called for development of the Mercury Research
Strategy (MRS), which guides the ORD Mercury Research Program and covers FY2001 to FY2005. The
MRS summarizes the human health and ecological risks posed by mercury and MeHg and indicates that
mercury needs to be considered on local, regional, and global scales. The MRS identifies the key scientific
questions of greatest importance to the Agency and describes a research program to answer those ques-
tions. The goal of the MRS\s to reduce the scientific uncertainties that limit EPA's ability to assess and
manage mercury and MeHg risks. ORD will use the MffSio develop a multiyear implementation plan in FY
2001 for its Mercury Research Program.
In conducting the Mercury Research Program, in-house research efforts by ORD's laboratories and centers
will be coupled with those of ORD's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Grants Program. The STAR Grants
Program sponsors extramural research with academic institutions and other not-for-profit entities. Some of
the research described in the MRS will be undertaken in cooperation with organizations such as DOE and
USGS. The MRS provides information on research needs and priorities that can be used by various stake-
holders outside the Agency-including researchers in other Federal agencies, states, private industry, not-
for-profit organizations, and academia-and may assist them in planning their own mercury research activi-
ties and programs. Finally, the AWSsuggests that other scientific data and information not generally consid-
ered "research" are needed, such as inventories of sources and routine multimedia monitoring.
EPA Report: Mercury Study Report to Congress
The Mercury Study Report to Congress (EPA, 1997) described the magnitude of mercury emissions in the
United States, identified mercury emission sources, assessed the health and environmental implications of
those emissions, and evaluated the availability and cost of technologies for emission control. It is the most
comprehensive human health and environmental investigation of mercury and MeHg available. The Mer-
cury Study Report to Congress serves as the foundation for EPA's understanding of the risk assessment
and risk management issues associated with mercury and MeHg. It contributes significantly to the strategic
directions and the key scientific questions posed in the MRS.
In the Mercury Study Report to Congress, EPA concluded that a plausible link exists between human activi-
ties that release mercury from industrial and combustion sources in the United States and MeHg concentra-
tions in humans and wildlife. In preparing the report,,uPA conducted a quantitative human health risk as-
sessment of MeHg. The assessment estimated that between 1 % and 3% of women of childbearing age (i.e.,
between the ages of 15 and 44) in the United States eat sufficient amounts of fish for their fetuses to be at
risk from MeHg exposure. The Mercury Study Report to Congressa\so concluded that mercury poses risks
to various wildlife, including some birds and fur-bearing mammals such as loons, mink, and otters. The
Mercury Study Report to Congress comprehensively identified research needs to improve both mercury risk
assessment and risk management.
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National Academy of Sciences Report: Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report, Toxicological'Effects of'Methylmercuryr(NRC, 2000), con-
firmed EPA's Reference Dose (RfD) of 0.1 micrograms per kilogram (ug/kg) of body weight per day. It
viewed this RfD as a scientifically justifiable level for protecting human health from the adverse effects of
MeHg. The NAS report estimated that more than 60,000 U.S. children are born each year with a risk of
nervous system damage from MeHg exposures in the womb. It also noted the reduced performance of
schoolchildren on neuropsychological tests in recent epidemiological studies, suggesting that prenatal MeHg
exposures are likely to be associated with reduced school performance. The NAS report identified research
needs related to better characterization of MeHg heath effects, enhanced estimation of MeHg dose-re-
sponse relationships, and improved characterization of risk from current MeHg exposures. Finally, the NAS
report recommended that every effort be made to establish a common scientific basis for exposure guidance
among Federal agencies, recognizing that various agencies have responsibilities for this problem under
differing legal and regulatory authorities.
Mercury in the Environment
As a liquid at room temperature, mercury is a unique metal that has proven itself useful for centuries in both
industrial and consumer applications. Mercury is released in elemental and oxidized forms from a variety of
human activities and natural sources. The exposure pathway addressed in the MRS\s through fish con-
sumption and consists of the following steps: 1) emission of mercury to the air; 2) mercury air transport,
transformation, and deposition on land and water; 3) transformation of mercury to MeHg in water bodies; 4)
MeHg uptake and bioaccumulation in fish; and 5) consumption of contaminated fish by mammals, including
hurnans. Mercury and MeHg exposures can result in permanent damage to the brain and kidneys in both
humans and wildlife.
The intentional use of mercury in products (e.g., batteries, paints) in the United States has decreased signifi-
cantly in the past 20 years (Sznopoek and Goonan, 2000). However, since the 19th century, the total amount
of mercury in the environment has grown by a factor of two to fives times that of preindustrial levels (Mason,
et al.,1994). This situation raises concerns about increasing amounts of mercury in the global pool and the
implications of mercury emissions for both human populations and ecosystems worldwide. In the United
States, the most significant releases of mercury to the environment are emissions to the air. These air
emissions come from combustion sources, such as power plants or incinerators. Mercury is also released
from geologically bound sources through natural processes (e.g., volcanos, fires) and through mass transfer
to the atmosphere by biologic and geologic processes from mercury that has been previously deposited
(i.e., re-emission sources). In addition to air emissions, mercury is also released in other ways, including via
waterborne discharges and direct disposal to the land. The releases of mercury to water and land are
believed to be small compared to air emissions, but these releases can have significant local effects.
Depending on the chemical form in which it is released, the stack height of the source, air movement pat-
terns, and other factors, mercury can deposit at local, regional, and global scales. Locally, within a 30-mile
radius of some sources, a relatively high percentage of mercury may deposit on land and water. Regionally,
different areas of the country experience different amounts of mercury deposition. The combined emissions
of several mercury sources can travel hundreds of miles and deposit in distant regions of the United States.
Modeling exercises by EPA have projected that the highest deposition rates from U.S. anthropogenic mer-
cury sources occur in the southern Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, the Northeast, and scattered areas in the
southeastern United States. Globally, mercury from other countries deposits in the United States, and U.S.
emissions can travel around the world and deposit back into U.S. soil or water.
The particular form of mercury emitted is important in determining whether mercury is deposited near its
emission source or travels great distances, perhaps circling the globe several times before eventually de-
positing. Mercury emissions from human activities take various inorganic forms, including elemental mer-
cury vapor, gas-phase ionic mercury, and particulate-bound mercury. Once in the environment, these inor-
ganic forms can be converted by naturally occurring processes into the highly toxic organic form—MeHg.
The greatest concern regarding MeHg is the neurotoxic health effects associated with in utero exposures.
Also, children exposed after birth are potentially more sensitive to the toxic effects of MeHg than adults
because their nervous systems are still developing. Mercury also poses risks to wildlife, including some
birds and mammals, such as loons, mink, and otters.
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MRS Scope
While the MAS report confirmed EPA's RfD for MeHg, additional data and information are needed. A number
of key scientific questions regarding assessment and management of mercury and MeHg risks remain to be
addressed. ORD's Mf?S\s part of the Agency's Sound Science, Improved Understanding of Environmental
Risk, and Greater Innovation to Address Environmental Problems Goal (Goal 8). Implementation of Goal 8
is the responsibility of ORD under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) (EPA, 2000).
Although assigned to Goal 8, ORD's Mercury Research Program supports a number of other GPRA goals
including those related to clean air, clean water, and safe waste management.
ORD's Mercury Research Program provides information, methods, models, and data to address the key
scientific questions of greatest concern to EPA. The MRS goal seeks to reduce scientific uncertainties
related to mercury and MeHg. The M?5"presents the strategic direction for the Mercury Research Program
over the next five years. It will assist ORD in the development of a multiyear implementation plan and will
help in making decisions about future mercury research priorities. The results of the research program will
inform the Agency's Program Offices and Regions and their activities to assess and manage mercury and
MeHg risks. The MRS\s oriented to domestic mercury and MeHg issues, although most of the research
results will also be useful internationally. In preparing the MRS, six key scientific questions, associated
research areas, and related research needs were identified. While it is a five-year research strategy, the
undergo updates and adjustments based on ORD's annual research planning process.
Setting Research Priorities
The MffSwas developed by a group of EPA scientists and engineers representing ORD and the Agency's
Program Offices and Regions. To prepare the first draft of the strategy, the group was divided into eight
writing teams focused on different aspects of mercury and MeHg risk assessment and risk management.
The teams consulted a number of documents and individuals in preparing the MRS. The most influential
document was the Mercury Study Report to Congress, which identified research needs across a number of
areas. The writing teams developed six scientific questions formed around the research needs identified in
the Mercury Study Report to Congressand other sources, including the Agency's Mercury Task Force (MTF).
The writing teams established the research needs for each of the six key scientific questions. The MTF
assisted in this effort by identifying the regulatory and voluntary drivers for mercury and MeHg facing the
Agency over the next five years. The writing teams integrated relevant international research issues into
each research area. Research needs under each key scientific question were prioritized using three criteria:
1 ) provides timely scientific information and data needed to inform current and future Agency decisions on
mercury, 2) fills data and information gaps on mercury not addressed by other organizations, and 3) sup-
ports the goals and objectives of ORD's Strategic Plan and research on risk assessment and risk manage-
ment. In December 1999, an expert panel of ten external peer reviewers offered their individual and collec-
tive opinions of the draft MffSand its priorities. Many of the recommendations made by the peer panel have
been incorporated into the final version of the MRS.
The writing teams made every attempt to balance priorities across the six key scientific questions. The
priorities described in the MRSate only a snapshot in time and may well require adjustment in the coming
five years. Priorities can change depending on a number of factors including progress in answering the key
scientific questions, changes in regulatory deadlines, and research contributions by other organizations.
These factors require that priorities and resource allocations be reexamined on an annual basis and that
flexibility be a guiding principle in the annual budgeting process for the Mercury Research Program.
In the near term, ORD plans to focus on combustion risk management. In the longer term, ORD will empha-
size research that enhances the fundamental understanding of noncombustion risk management, ecologi-
cal effects and exposure, human health effects and exposure, and risk communication. Mercury fate and
transport research will be a focus throughout the five-year time frame of the MRS. The MRS\s aligned with
current EPA Program Office and Region priorities and emphasizes mercury sources resulting from human
activities in the United States. However, it does recognize the global nature of the mercury problem and the
need for addressing impacts in the United States from emissions generated by other nations. The MRS\s
designed to be flexible and can accommodate redirection as a result of changing Agency priorities and
perspectives.
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Transport, Transformation, and Fate Research Area
Key Scientific Question
How much MeHg in fish consumed by the U. S. population is contributed by U. S. emissions relative to other
sources of mercury (such as natural sources, emissions from sources in other countries, and re-emissions
from the global pool); how much and over what time period, will levels of MeHg in fish in the United States
decrease due to reductions in environmental releases from U.S. sources?
Prioritized Research Needs
Improved understanding of the transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in the atmosphere
Enhanced monitoring of atmospheric mercury deposition for model application
Improved understanding of the transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in aquatic and terrestrial media
Enhanced monitoring of mercury and MeHg in aquatic and terrestrial media for improved risk management
Research on mercury transport, transformation, and fate is highly supported throughout the life of the MRS.
Research needs in this area will take some time to address fully because the transport, transformation, and
fate of mercury, once it enters the environment, is very complex. This research will promote an improved
understanding of mercury in the air and water, and on land. As fundamental understanding is improved, this
research will inform the development of more cost-effective risk management approaches for mercury and
MeHg.
Risk Management for Combustion Sources Research Area
Key Scientific Question
How much can mercury emissions from coal-fired utility boilers and other combustion systems be reduced
with innovative mercury and multipollutant control technologies; what is the relative performance and cost of
these new approaches compared to currently available technologies?
Prioritized Research Needs
Improved understanding of managing mercury species in combustion processes
Improved understanding of performance and cost of mercury emission controls
Increased testing and evaluation of mercury continuous emission monitors
Improved characterization of, and management approaches for, mercury control residuals
Research to manage risks from combustion sources addresses the most immediate mercury priority for the
Agency and is well supported during the first years of the MRS. Combustion risk management research,
including research on mercury in control residuals, will provide the Agency with the latest information on
control technology performance and cost. This research will generate data and information that informs the
preparation of a regulatory proposal for controlling mercury emissions from coal-fired utilities.
Risk Management for Noncombustion Sources Research Area
Key Scientific Question
What is the magnitude of contributions of mercury releases from noncombustion sources; how can the most
significant releases be minimized?
Prioritized Research Needs
Characterization of the mercury life cycle in human activities
Improved understanding of mercury releases from sources and sinks
Approaches for minimizing mercury releases from noncombustion sources
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Research to manage risks from noncombustion sources is modestly supported in the early years of the
MRS. Research in this area then increases as the need for risk management research on coal-fired utilities
declines and other sources of mercury come to the fore. This research will provide information to support
future assessment, rulemaking, and voluntary actions with an early emphasis on mercury source character-
ization. It will be followed by research on risk management approaches for those sources posing the great-
est risks.
Ecological Effects and Exposure Research Area
Key Scientific Question
What are the risks associated with MeHg exposure to wildlife species and other significant ecological receptors?
Prioritized Research Needs
Improved understanding of MeHg's toxic effects on avian and mammalian wildlife
Refined ecological assessments for avian and mammalian wildlife risks
Improved understanding of ecological impacts of MeHg on avian and mammalian wildlife
Improved understanding of ecological impacts of MeHg on nonavian and nonmammalian species
Identification of interactions among MeHg and other chemical and nonchemical stressors and ef-
fects on all ecological receptors
The effects of MeHg on ecological systems have been demonstrated, but there is a need to learn more
about these effects, particularly in fish-eating wildlife. Support for this research area gradually increases
over the life of the MRS. This research will assist the Agency in understanding the effects of exposures to
mercury and MeHg on birds, mammals, and other forms of animal life. This research will also assist in the
development of improved ecological assessments.
Human Health Effects and Exposure Research Area
Key Scientific Question
What critical changes in human health are associated with exposure to environmental sources of MeHg in
the most susceptible human population; how much MeHg are humans exposed to, particularly women of
child-bearing age and children among highly exposed population groups; what is the magnitude of uncer-
tainty and variability of mercury and MeHg toxicokinetics in children?
Prioritized Research Needs
Improved understanding of mechanisms of developmental neurotoxicity from MeHg
Improved understanding of human compensation resulting from developmental exposures to MeHg
Identification of impacts from aggregate exposures and synergistic effects of MeHg and other pollutants
Improved understanding of the modulation of immune system response from MeHg exposure
Biological monitoring for model development and improvement
Development of toxicokinetic data on MeHg tissue distribution
The MAS report on the health effects of MeHg supported EPA's RfD of 0.1 ug/kg body weight per day as a
scientifically justified level to protect human health. However, several research recommendations need to
be addressed. Research in this area is supported at a relatively modest, but consistent level throughout the
life of the MRS. There is a continuing need for ORD to provide scientific and technical assistance to the
Agency in developing regulations and criteria based on the NAS-supported RfD.
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Risk Communication Research Area
Key Scientific Question
What are the most effective means for informing susceptible populations of the health risks posed by mercury
and MeHg contamination offish and seafood?
Prioritized Research Needs
Synchronization of fish consumption advisory messages for MeHg
Improved understanding of exposure patterns in targeting of risk messages
Understanding the use of risk information in making decisions about MeHg exposures
Research on improving communication to populations at risk from eating fish contaminated with MeHg is
supported at a relatively modest, but consistent level over the life of the MRS. Research in this area will help
the Agency to develop improved risk communication approaches targeted at populations that consume
large quantities of fish. The most challenging populations are those individuals at greater risk due to pos-
sible nervous system damage such as the maternal-fetal pair, nursing mother-infant pair, and young chil-
dren. This research area is one that is particularly amenable to collaboration with other organizations.
MRS Implementation
A number of groups, both internal and external to EPA, have a stake in the M?5and its implementation over
the next five years. These groups are particularly interested in research program sequencing and timing in
order to determine whether it is consistent with their needs, interests, and (for the Agency) target dates for
regulatory and voluntary actions. The MRS is designed to provide broad strategic directions for ORD's
Mercury Research Program, not schedules and time lines. More specific information will be forthcoming in
ORD's multiyear implementation plan to be developed in FY 2001.
The MRS encourages engagement and partnering with various stakeholders. ORD believes that joint ven-
tures enhance the Agency's own Mercury Research Program, as well as other mercury research efforts
either planned or underway in the United States. ORD wants to strengthen research collaborations with the
regulated community and other interested parties and gain their participation in mutually beneficial mercury
research. ORD is seeking linkages to Federal agencies, states, communities, tribes, and other public and
private organizations to gather insights from decision makers at various levels. Of particular interest are
their mercury research needs and the actions they expect to take in both assessing and managing mercury
risks. ORD welcomes input from any organization concerning the MffSand the Mercury Research Program
described in this document.
2.2 Managing Mercury Issues on a Continental Scale — Luke Trip, Environment
Canada
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), developed to ensure trade equity between its mem-
bers, includes a parallel environmental accord to ensure that the environment is not sacrificed for trade. The
North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation was established under NAFTA and is overseen
by the Environment Ministers for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This agreement resulted in the
creation of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, which provides for the development of the
Mercury Action Plan under the Sound Management of Chemicals Program.
Of the 2,215 tons of anthropogenic mercury released to the atmosphere in 1995, 158 tons were from the
United States, 70 to 90 tons were from Mexico, and 12 tons were from Canada. Approximately 2,000 tons of
mercury were naturally released to the atmosphere. To understand the impact of these emissions, the fol-
lowing facts about mercury are useful to know:
Mercury is a naturally occurring element, thus virtual elimination is not possible.
Long-range atmospheric transport moves mercury great distances from the source.
Environmental levels of mercury are increasing by 1 % to 3% each year, based on recorded mercury
intakes from bogs and swamps.
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Exposure to high levels of mercury can lead to kidney damage, liver damage, paresthesia, or death.
Exposure to low levels of mercury can affect learning ability and muscle coordination in children.
One cubic yard of mercury equals 10.00 tons or 9.08 million grams (g).
Less than one third of a gram of mercury can contaminate a 25-acre lake.
The majority of fish advisories in Canada and the United States are due to MeHg.
The EPA-NAS RfD for mercury is 0.1 ug/kg of body weight per day.
Phase 1 of the North American Regional Action Plan (NARAP) on Mercury, which was approved in October
1997, calls for reductions in anthropogenic mercury pollution and for mercury levels and fluxes to be re-
duced to natural levels. Phase 2, which was accepted by the Council of Ministers on June 12, 2000, calls for
"additional specific actions to further reduce anthropogenic releases together with specific targets and time
frames." The action items contained in Phase 2 were based on recommendations from three workshops in
1998: Capacity Building in Zacatecas, Mexico; Public Consultation in Mexico City, Mexico; and Science
Experts in Las Vegas, United States. The six major action items and 80 subaction items contained in Phase
2 were synthesized from over 300 recommendations. Phase 2 also includes a commitment to move from a
voluntary to a regulated structure.
The six major action items identified in Phase 2 were:
Management of atmospheric emissions
Management in processes, operations, and products
Waste management approaches
Research, monitoring, modeling, assessment, inventories
Communications activities
Implementation and compliance
Each of these items is described in greater detail in the following sections.
Management of Atmospheric Emissions
The first action item called for reductions from major stationary sources using Best Available Technology
(BAT). This includes coal-fired utilities and metal smelters.
Management in Processes, Operations, and Products
The second action item called for management of the following processes, operations, and products:
Life cycle management
Automotive vehicles and equipment
Mercury cell chloralkali sector (reduced by 50% by 2006)
Dry-cell battery manufacturing
Electrical switches and relays
Lamp manufacturing (mercury vapor lamps and fluorescent lamps)
Health and dental care (blood pressure machines)
Cultural and artisan uses
Waste Management Approaches
The following waste management approaches were identified under the third action item:
Management of combustion and industrial processes, including pollution control
Management of incinerator waste streams
Wastewater treatment
Mercury waste collection and handling
Mercury retirement programs (very controversial)
Continuation of reduction measures
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Research, Monitoring, Modeling, Assessment, Inventories
The fourth action item supported the following research, monitoring, modeling, assessment, and inventory
related issues:
Developing consistent and comparable data
Supporting the North American Mercury Monitoring Network
Supporting the North American Mercury Research Program, specifically releases from contam-
inated sites (mines)
Modeling atmospheric transport in North America
Developing and maintaining inventories, reporting standards and criteria, particularly the develop-
ment of an inventory of high level sites
Developing new major construction initiatives
Communications Activities
The following communications activities were specified under the fifth action item:
Inform North Americans (to reduce risk through a communication outreach program)
Communicate best practices
Develop a directory of recycling "databases"
Implementation and Compliance
The sixth action item on implementation and compliance addressed the following:
Implementation of specific plans by each country within one year, the application of regulatory
controls if voluntary actions are inadequate, and public reporting
Verification of success (via audits), capacity building, and build improvements
Initiatives related to past and present mining activities include developing an inventory of high-level sites,
assessing and controlling releases from contaminated sites, developing a mercury retirement program, and
improving communication about best practices. Both Canada and the United States awarded contracts to
develop inventories of high-level sites in November 2000, and Mexico recently put out a "call for proposals"
for a two-part contract to develop an atmospheric emissions inventory and a high-level sites inventory.
The next steps to be taken in support of the NARAP on Mercury involve 1) assessing sector gaps in North
America, particularly from dental amalgam waste management, historic and current mining, and petroleum
refining and natural gas processing; 2) developing permanent mercury retirement options for excess from
recycling and mining operations and from older, secure mercury mines; and 3) initiating a global mercury
action plan.
2.3 Regional Office Perspective — David Jones, EPA Region 9
The environmental and human health impacts of historical and current mercury releases from mining opera-
tions are on the front burner for EPA Region 9. The environmental community's understanding of how differ-
ent forms of mercury cycle in the environment is neither complete nor comprehensive. Appropriate re-
sponses to elevated levels of mercury in soil, sediments, or air require an understanding of science, eco-
nomics, public policy, land use, risk assessment, and the personal lives and finances of many individuals.
Although more than 26 million pounds of elemental mercury were used by the gold mining industry between
1850 and 1900, and much of that mercury remains in soils and sediments in California and Nevada, environ-
mental officials need to determine whether to focus resources on cleaning up historical mercury contamina-
tion or addressing existing sources of mercury emissions. This issue needs to be put into perspective.
Understand the Risk Assessment Model for Mercury and Where There Is Discretion
The major concerns during a risk assessment are the pathways to an environmental or human receptor and
the mercury concentrations that pose a risk to a receptor. Worst-case risk assessment default factors are
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often used when site-specific information is unavailable. If species data are unavailable, the risk assess-
ment personnel generally assume that all of the mercury is in a highly bioavailable form, such as mercury
chloride or mercury oxide, rather than a less bioavailable form, such as mercury sulfide or elemental mer-
cury. Final land use (e.g., residential, industrial, or recreational) is also considered during the risk assessment.
Project personnel at the Carson River Superfund Site were concerned about mercury in tailings in residen-
tial areas, particularly the potential for soil ingestion by children. Although a preliminary remediation goal of
23 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) in the soil has been used by EPA at sites where soil ingestion is a
concern and species data are limited, this goal presumes that the mercury is present in a highly bioavailable
form. Since 95% of the mercury at the Carson River Superfund Site is elemental mercury or mercury sulfide,
a cleanup level of 80 mg/kg was established for this site. Because there was uncertainty about the relative
absorption of different forms of mercury in the human intestine, a safety factor was used when this goal was
selected.
Subsequent to EPA's Carson River decision, a DOE site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee was found to have
mercury soil contamination similar to that of the Carson River Superfund Site. However, in this case, DOE
performed laboratory studies to simulate the absorption rate of mercury in the human intestine. A final
mercury cleanup level of 400 mg/kg was selected using this more precise data in the risk assessment. Thus,
the cleanup level for mercury-contaminated soils in a residential area depends on how much data are
collected and what the data show. The more information that is collected on the concentrations of the differ-
ent mercury species, the mercury's bioavailability to humans, and the land use of an area, the more precise
the risk assessment can be.
Understand How Cleanup Decisions Affect People's Lives
All parties want cleanup levels for mercury to be protective of human health. However, it is important to
realize that cleanup levels can have a major impact on the economic and social life of residents. In the
Carson River Valley, houses were built in areas with elevated levels of mercury. The soil cleanup level
established for mercury (e.g., 20 or 80 mg/kg) may significantly impact whether residents are worried about
their health. It can also have a significant impact on property values, which affects both their economic and
social lives.
Although the public health protection is important, the public should not be needlessly alarmed in the pro-
cess. It is important to understand how people's lives are affected by mercury investigations and cleanup
actions, and to anticipate the types of questions they will have. Homeowners are typically concerned about
their health and safety, as well as possible impacts on property values.
Be Aware of Background Mercury Levels in Historic Placer Mining Areas
At first glance, Greenhorn Creek, a tributary to the Bear River in California's Sierra Nevada foothills, appears
to be located in a pristine setting. Investigation revealed that 1,000 cubic yards of placer mining debris with
elevated levels of mercury and MeHg were located on a side tributary. Before a decision could be made
whether to remove the material, information was collected on mercury levels in the surrounding soils and
sediments. This investigation revealed that the stream bed was composed of mercury-contaminated hy-
draulic mining material deposited on the floor of the valley between 1850 and 1890. Although the stream bed
was raised 200 feet during this period, about 100 feet of this debris had eroded away in the last 120 years.
Project personnel had to decide whether removing 1,000 cubic yards of placer mine tailings would have any
impact on mercury concentrations because this material currently sits on hundreds of thousands of cubic
yards of placer mine tailings. Ultimately, decisions of this nature are site-specific and should not be made
without a full understanding of the background mercury levels in the surrounding area.
Protecting Human Health Is a Primary Reason for the Cleanup of Mine Sluice Box Tunnels
Very high levels of mercury were identified in mine sluice box tunnels following a USGS-led multiagency
study in the Bear River watershed. A tunnel in the Polar Star Mine had very high levels of mercury in
sediments (up to 3% by weight) and high-level MeHg discharges from water that flowed through the tunnel.
The EPA Region 9 Superfund program removed the mercury-laden sediments at the Polar Star Mine, in part
because amateur or recreational "miners" had been collecting the mercury in the hope that it contained gold.
The primary purpose of this removal action was to protect the health of these miners. Although the source of
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MeHg to the environment was also eliminated, this was only a secondary benefit and not the motivating
factor for the removal action. Mr. Jones anticipates that the protection of human health will be the primary
focus for mine sluice tunnel cleanup actions in California in the near future. However, as mercury loadings
and dynamics in different watersheds are better understood, cleanup actions may eventually be based
solely on environmental factors.
Eliminating Perceived Regulatory Barriers to Mercury Cleanup Actions or Mercury Emissions
Reduction Is Important
When amateur gold miners remove sediments, sands, and gravel from streams, they are also removing
mercury. Since mercury in streams can bioaccumulate in fish and make them unfit for human consumption,
this can be considered an environmentally beneficial activity. In 1996, State and Federal regulatory and
land management agencies tried to design a program to collect mercury from amateur gold miners. Since
the regulations appeared to require that recreational gold miners obtain hazardous waste permits, transport
the mercury as a hazardous waste, and transport it to mercury-permitted hazardous waste facilities, efforts
to collect this waste were stymied by perceived regulatory barriers.
Local, State, and Federal environmental and land management agencies met this year to develop mecha-
nisms to collect mercury from amateur gold miners that are easy for the miners to follow and yet are consis-
tent with environmental and health regulations. By focusing on areas of regulatory flexibility, the agencies
were able to design a mercury collection program that does not require the mercury to be handled as a
Federal or State hazardous waste. Since this program was developed, hundreds of pounds of mercury were
collected over a three-month period. Project personnel estimate that costs were cut by 95% since the mer-
cury did not have to be handled as a hazardous waste. Participants were encouraged to work with regula-
tors to eliminate regulatory barriers that block common-sense, cost-effective opportunities to clean up mer-
cury, rather than proceed with costly cleanups with no real environmental benefits.
Reducing Existing Air Emissions of Mercury Should Be a Top Priority
When EPA Region 9 staff received a draft copy of the 1998 Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reports, they were
surprised to find that more than 13,000 pounds of mercury are emitted to the atmosphere each year from
Nevada gold mines. These emissions were much greater than anticipated.
Although gold mining companies in Nevada have made significant investments to capture the mercury
released during gold processing, and current air emissions of mercury are consistent with facility air permits,
national studies indicate that a lot of the mercury found in the Midwest and Southwest United States is from
atmospheric deposition. Furthermore, elemental mercury released to the air in Nevada is more likely to
deposit in Wisconsin or Florida than in Nevada.
In response, EPA has made the reduction of mercury air emissions a top priority. Although the cleanup of
historic mercury contamination may not be physically or financially feasible, efforts to reduce existing mer-
cury emissions need to be taken. In 1997, the United States and Canada signed a binational agreement to
reduce aggregate releases of mercury to the air by 50% by 2006. EPA is currently working to meet this goal.
Since developing new national standards for mercury air emissions from Nevada gold mines will take time,
the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NV DEP) and EPA Region 9 have initiated a dialog with
representatives of the gold mining industry in Nevada to investigate creating a voluntary program to reduce
mercury air emissions. The goal of the program is to achieve significant, permanent, and rapid reductions in
mercury air emissions. If a voluntary program can be successfully launched, the mining companies may be
able to reduce mercury air emissions much faster than required by State or Federal law.
Conclusion
After noting that his presentation reflects a perspective acquired through his involvement with specific mines
over the last 10 years, Mr. Jones stated that our understanding of how mercury cycles in the environment is
relatively new. After stressing the importance of good mercury risk assessments and recognizing the role of
discretion in risk assessment calculations, Mr. Jones emphasized the need to understand how cleanup
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decisions affect the lives of residents. He reiterated the importance of knowing the background mercury
levels of soils and sediments in historic placer mining areas, as well as the importance of addressing exist-
ing air emissions of mercury and existing high levels of mercury in mine sluice box tunnels. Mr. Jones closed
by voicing his hope that participant perspectives regarding the mercury puzzle will widen as a result of this
workshop, and attendees will come to understand the mercury mystery together.
2.4 Mercury Emissions from Mining Operations in Nevada: a State Perspective
— Jolaine Johnson, NV DEP
1998 TRI Reports
Mercury emissions from mining in Nevada were developed based on mercury emission data revealed in the
1998 TRI reports. According to these reports, seven mines in Nevada reported mercury emissions to the
atmosphere, although approximately 25 smaller mines in the State will be required to report their emissions
in the future. In 1998, 423 pounds of fugitive mercury emissions and 13,560 pounds of stack emissions were
released to the atmosphere, for a net emission of approximately 7 tons.
Sources of Mining Emissions
After noting that most mining operations occur in remote areas like the Humboldt River Basin, Ms. Johnson
listed the following sources of mercury emissions from mining:
Historic amalgamation process (mercury was added to ore during mining operations in the late
1800s)
Natural occurrences/emissions in regional ore
Fugitive releases from ore handling (e.g., transportation, crushing, etc.)
Stack releases from heated processes
Mercury Emissions in the United States
Ms. Johnson presented a table containing estimates from EPA's Mercury Study Report to Congress'm 1999.
Ms. Johnson had modified the table to include an estimate of mercury emissions from mining sites. Accord-
ing to this table, 3.4 tons of mercury were emitted by area sources, 137.7 tons by combustion sources, 15.6
tons from manufacturing, 1.4 tons from miscellaneous activities, and 7.0 tons from mining activities. Al-
though natural sources were included in the table, no estimates of their contribution to the total were in-
cluded.
Regulatory Requirements
Other than the direct mining of mercury, mercury releases from mining operations are not regulated under
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) or under the National Emission Standards for Hazard-
ous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for gold or silver mining operations. Mercury releases from mining are also
not regulated under the State of Nevada's Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) requirements. Although there
are regulatory requirements under Title V of the Clean Air Act (CAA), mercury is also not regulated under
New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) regulations. Additional information on the regulatory require-
ments for mercury from mining activities is addressed in more detail in the following sections.
Unlike precious metal mining operations, mercury mining operations are regulated under NESHAPs and
must meet a mercury emissions limit of 2,300 grams per 24 hours. However, because no mercury mines are
in operation in the United States today, this is a moot point. It is important to note that there are no limits
under NESHAPs for mercury emissions from gold or silver mining. Thus, facilities not subject to NESHAP
requirements will need to comply with the CAA Title V requirement related to the use of Maximum Achiev-
able Control Technology (MACT) at any new or modified major source with greater than 10 tons per year of
HAPs. In the State of Nevada, the HAPs requirement (NAC 445B.349) states "an owner or operator shall not
discharge HAPs that threaten the health and safety of the general public as determined by the director."
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The health advisory level for fish consumption from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of 1.0 parts per
million (ppm) mercury in fish tissue is enforced by the Nevada Division of Health. Ms. Johnson noted that
this protocol is currently undergoing redevelopment.
Regional Monitoring Efforts
Between 1975 and 1999 the NV DEP collected 504 water chemistry samples from the Humboldt Basin.
Although 25 instances of violations of the water quality standards were observed at dispersed locations, the
causes of these violations are unknown (e.g., storm events, groundwater influx, sampling/analysis error, or
regional or local activities). The USGS collected 312 water chemistry samples from the Humboldt Basin
during the same period. Although 58 violations were observed at various locations, the causes for these
violations are also unknown. In both cases, no recent violations or trends have been identified that explain
or are related to the previously observed violations.
In addition to water chemistry analyses, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) analyzed fish tissue
samples in 1998. Although no samples were at or above the 1.0 ppm advisory level, mercury concentrations
ranged between 0.05 and 0.49 ppm. Since 1988, air quality at Jarbridge has been monitored under the
Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments program. Mercury has not been detected at con-
centrations above the method detection limit of 0.1 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3) since monitoring
began.
Summary and Recommendations
After noting that there are currently no imminent and substantial threats in the region due to mercury emis-
sions, and that the sources of mercury in the environment are unknown, Ms. Johnson listed the following
recommendations:
Continue environmental monitoring
Support research efforts
Develop a better emissions inventory
Foster cooperative efforts to consider the feasibility and effectiveness of further control measures to
reduce mercury emissions
2.5 USGS Mercury Research — Kate Johnson, USGS
Mining-related mercury research performed by the USGS can be separated into two broad categories: 1)
the genesis of mercury ore deposits (e.g., from Almaden, Spain to the mercury mineral belts in Alaska,
Canada, and Nevada) and 2) environmental impacts of mercury from mineral deposits. Specific areas of
environmental impact research include the following:
Characterization and speciation of mercury mine wastes
Geochemistry of mercury in acid mine drainage
Methylation and demethylation of mercury
Fate and transport of mercury from mineralized sources
After noting the USGS efforts to develop a repository of large, long-term databases and its increasing focus
on process research of downstream effects, Ms. Johnson provided information on a broad array of USGS
efforts, including environmental impact research, the USGS database repository, and mercury research
efforts and information from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) resampling effort in South
Carolina, Alaska, and Palawan in the Philippines.
Environmental Impacts
USGS research into the impacts of mercury on biota have focused on the following areas:
Fish, birds, amphibians, and invertebrates
Toxicology
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Minerals-related site-specific studies (e.g., the southwest Alaska mercury mineral belt, California
Sierran gold belt, and the Palawan mercury deposit in the Philippines)
USGS Databases
The USGS has also been involved in developing mineral, water resource, and biologic national databases.
The minerals databases include information on 1) the localities and character of mineral deposits, 2) com-
modity reports (production and reserves worldwide), and 3) national mineral resource assessment. Informa-
tion on these databases can be obtained from http://mrdata.usgs.gov. The water resources databases con-
tain real-time stream flow and water quality and quantity data. Information on the water resources data-
bases and the biologic databases can be found at http://www.usgs.gov.
NURE Resampling
Ms. Johnson presented a map of the United States with sampling density information entitled "NURE
Resampling Status - 25 Sept 2000." The map contained sampling density information relative to a 17-
kilometer (km) grid. The results of the resampled NURE samples were used as the basis for a program for
performing geochemical-based line samples. This map was followed by a U.S. map showing the analytical
mercury results for the resampled NURE samples.
South Carolina
Two maps showing mercury concentrations in South Carolina coastal plain soils and stream sediments
were presented. These maps are used to examine regional trends for mercury. Population information and
boundaries of lithofacies were also included on the maps.
Alaska
A map of southwest Alaska, which contained information on the number of mercury localities, was pre-
sented. The information was collected under two studies developed to determine whether waste products
from mercury mining efforts endanger local residents eating locally caught fish. Although a graph of mercury
concentrations in muscle and liver samples from four types of area fish (e.g., pike, Arctic grayling, dolly
varden, and salmon) indicated elevated mercury levels, all of the levels were below FDA action levels.
Palawan
A map of the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Papua-New Guinea, and Fiji, which identified locations where
significant subduction-related mineral deposits can be found (including Palawan in the Philippines) was
presented. The Palawan mercury mine was operated from 1955 to 1976. During its operation, mining wastes
were dumped in the ocean, eventually forming a jetty composed of mine waste. Since 1995, at least 21
residents have been poisoned by mercury which is believed to have leached from the surface of the jetty
and been passed through fish (via uptake) to humans in the area.
Ms. Johnson closed her presentation by encouraging participants to visit the USGS website at http://
www.usgs.gov or to contact her at kjohnson@usgs.gov or 703-648-6110.
2.6 County Role in Mercury Assessment and Cleanup — Elizabeth Martin,
Nevada County
Mercury contamination is a legacy of the historic gold mining that shaped Nevada County. Recent studies by
the USGS and others have shown that MeHg has been found at significant levels in bottom-feeding fish
such as bass. A health advisory limiting intake of certain fish (bass) is now under consideration by the Office
of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the counties of Yuba, Nevada, and Placer.
Nevada County has become concerned about the possible recreational and economic impacts of mercury
contamination as information about possible mercury contamination in the area has surfaced. County per-
sonnel are particularly concerned about possible impacts on development efforts in the area, since develop-
ers believe that the flat areas associated with old mine workings (e.g., tailings) are ideal for development.
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Technical guidance and funding is needed to help the County decide whether it should require an environ-
mental evaluation of former mining areas prior to development. County personnel also need to be trained in
mercury contamination issues, particularly for gravel operations in rivers and streams.
In order to address the mercury contamination, the county first needs to determine the shape and location of
the mercury contamination and to identify hot-spot remediation opportunities. Training and technical assis-
tance is also needed at the county level to enable County staff to be able to identify and deal with mercury
problems. Testing protocols and practices for assessing and responding to mercury contamination are also
needed.
Although Nevada County is making progress, as demonstrated by a successful program for collecting mer-
cury from residents, the County needs a protocol that can help County personnel interact with the various
agencies interested in controlling the mercury contamination problem in Nevada County. Additional techni-
cal training is also needed to enable personnel to intelligently address the mercury issue and to improve
interactions with other agencies on this issue.
A number of issues associated with pollution credit trading also need to be addressed in the near future, and
remediation standards need to be developed that make sense to counties. After stressing the importance of
local, State, and Federal agency cooperation when assessing and characterizing the mercury issue, Ms.
Martin closed by noting that Nevada County and other Gold Country communities are ready to partner with
government agencies and nonprofit organizations to address the mercury problem.
2.7 County Role in Mercury Assessment and Cleanup — Shawn Garvey, South
Yuba River Citizens' League
The South Yuba River Citizens' League was established in 1983 and currently has over 4,000 members
from within the watershed and around the country. Recently the League received a grant from EPA to
represent the community and to hire technical assistance to help the community address contamination
issues at the Wildcat Mine Superfund Site. The League's goal is to protect, restore, and preserve the en-
tirety of the South Yuba River watershed.
Nevada County is an attractive area. Its pristine appearance camouflages some of the realities of its gold
mining past, specifically arsenic and mercury contamination. As residents have become more aware of
some of the realities of living in a former gold mining area, community activities and behavior have been
affected. Mr. Garvey related four experiences that highlight how the community understands mercury con-
tamination and how it affects the community's behavior.
Voluntary Water Quality Monitoring
The Yuba watershed has entered into the largest voluntary water quality monitoring program in the Sierra
Nevada range. Over a three-year period, samples will be collected by 90 volunteers from 22 sites spread
over a 1,300-square-mile watershed. The goal of the program is to address concerns about health impacts
from the mercury and arsenic contamination that has moved from the Wildcat Mine to the river.
Potential Forestry Impacts in the Sierra Nevada Range
Logging is the predominant resource extraction activity in the area. The environmental community was
supportive when the USGS and the State Water Resources Control Board became concerned about pos-
sible mercury impacts to the Bear River following a request for a timber harvest permit at Colfax below the
Dutch Flat site. Their concerns resulted in a temporary delay of logging at this site.
Since the largest property owner in the county is a logging company that owns land at, below, and above the
mining site, the community is concerned about soil impacts or disturbances that could result from logging
near the mine and how mercury and arsenic concerns could impact the proposed logging.
Potential Impacts on Restoration Activities
Currently, 55 agencies, industry organizations, environmental groups, and a marina owner are cooperating
on a river studies project to reintroduce wild salmon and steelhead above the Englebright Dam. Asix-million-
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dollar study is expected to be approved to investigate how to introduce salmon and steelhead above
Englebright Dam. It involves possibly the largest timber restoration project ever attempted. Although a num-
ber of obstacles need to be addressed for this project to succeed, the biggest problem involves how to
remove the Englebright Dam, since it contains approximately 50 years' worth of mercury-laden sediments
behind it. Although the dam may be successfully trapping mercury and preventing it from entering the water-
shed system, Mr. Garvey questioned whether it made sense to maintain a dam with no flood control, no
water supply capabilities, and limited recreational value simply as a long-term holding tank for mercury.
Land Conservation
The Yuba River Conservancy purchases land for conservation in key habitats and access areas near the
Yuba River. After noting that historic mining operations had significantly changed the elevation and course of
the Yuba River, Mr. Garvey stated that the pools and reservoirs in the gold fields near the Yuba River contain
pools of mercury that miners still collect at night. Since the majority of properties that the Yuba Conservancy
is considering purchasing are located in this area, the Conservancy is concerned about the possible pres-
ence and impact of mercury and arsenic contamination. These concerns have temporarily halted/stalled
efforts to purchase some of this land.
After noting that the South Yuba Citizens' League does not have answers to these situations or many of the
questions associated with the mercury contamination in the Yuba River watershed (e.g., whether it is safe to
swim in or drink the water), Mr. Garvey supported the continuing collection of data in the Sierra and partnering
efforts with local advocacy groups to establish priorities and to obtain and allocate funding in order to im-
prove efforts to study and react to mercury contamination issues in the area. He recommended moving from
studies to policy changes (e.g., development, health, restoration, and environmental policies) and from
policy changes to actual improvements in human health conditions and the environment. He also recom-
mended improving efforts to educate and communicate with communities on this issue.
2.8 The Management of Mercury in the Modern Mining Industry — Glenn
Eurick, Barrick Gold Corporation and Dirk van Zyl, University of Nevada, Reno
(UNR)
Dr. van Zyl opened with the following key points regarding mercury in mining:
Mercury occurs naturally in trace concentrations associated with some precious metal ores and, as
a result of processing these ores, mercury is produced as a secondary product.
Precious metal mining operations in Nevada produce metallic mercury and handle mercury-bearing
materials using sound management.
The precious metal mining industry is the primary source of new metallic mercury produced in the
United States.
His presentation covered the following topics: exploration, mining, beneficiation, air emissions, metal pro-
duction, employee exposures, and conclusions and directions.
Exploration
Mercury is naturally occurring and is concentrated to varying degrees in precious metal mining regions in
Nevada and the western United States. Since mercury naturally occurs with most precious metals, it is
commonly used as a geochemical tracer in exploration. Exploration rock samples are typically analyzed for
mercury and other metals. Mercury concentrations are also typically given consideration in ore body as-
sessments for future development.
After showing a cross-section of an ore body, Dr. van Zyl noted that mercury is generally associated with
sulfides (e.g., pyrite), and that cinnabar (i.e., mercury sulfide) is the simplest and predominant form of mer-
cury in Nevada gold ores. Cinnabar is among the least soluble of the mercury sulfides in water.
A graph of mercury concentrations plotted against the depth of the borehole for four typical boreholes was
displayed. The graph showed the variability associated with mercury concentrations in ore samples. This
variation is due to a number of factors, including the type of ore body, the minerals present, etc.
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Mining
During surface mining, material is blasted from the surface, the ore is sent to a plant for processing, and the
waste rock is stored away from the work area. Composite surface rock is generally collected and analyzed
for mercury and acid accounting. Meteoric water mobility analyses are also commonly performed on sur-
face-mined rock; mercury is typically a component of these analyses. According to Dr. van Zyl, although less
rock is produced during underground mining operations, the mined materials undergo basically the same
sampling and analytical tests as materials from a surface mine.
Beneficiation
Beneficiation is the process by which precious metals and mercury are removed from ores. Beneficiation
involves the following processes:
Crushing/Grinding: Big rocks are reduced to little rocks, which are in turn reduced to powdered
rocks.
Pretreatment: Autoclaving or roasting of the ore prior to leaching.
Leaching: Tank or heap leaching of the ore (using cyanide) to remove precious metals from the ore
and deposit them on carbon. The residual ore, which has been stripped of the precious metals, is
called tailing.
Carbon Stripping: Precious metals are removed from the carbon and placed in solution.
Carbon Regeneration: Heat regenerates the carbon for reuse.
Electrowinning/Zinc Precipitation: Precious metals are removed from the stripping solution in solid
form.
Retorting: Precious metal solids are preheated to extract the mercury before gold is recovered.
During the beneficiation process, samples of ore, tailing, waste rock, and process and nonprocess waters
are routinely monitored for mercury concentrations. Mercury concentrations in solid samples are typically
analyzed with conventional metals analytical equipment but, due to sample heterogeneity, analytical preci-
sion is variable. Mercury concentrations in liquid samples can be performed for both total and dissolved
values using conventional analytical techniques such as inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis.
Dr. van Zyl provided a more detailed discussion of mercury issues associated with ore pretreatment, ore
sampling, and tailing. This information is summarized as follows.
Ore Pretreatment
Some ore pretreatment processes may require mercury air emission controls. State-of-the-art mercury cap-
ture and/or recovery systems such as scrubbers and polishing filters can be designed, constructed, oper-
ated, and monitored at mining sites to reduce mercury emissions at these sites. The mercury-bearing mate-
rial collected via air pollution control devices can be used to produce metallic mercury either onsite or offsite.
Mercury suppression by commercial reagents or sodium hydrosulfide may also be employed to precipitate
mercury as an organic or mercuric sulfide.
Ore Leaching
Ore samples are typically collected after grinding, but before either pretreatment or leaching, and reana-
lyzed for metals including mercury. Typically mercury forms a relatively weak complex with cyanide during
ore leaching and is removed with the precious metals. Since mercury has a great affinity for activated
carbon, it is effectively captured for recovery with precious metals (e.g., gold and silver). Mercury also has a
great affinity for sulfide.
Tailings
Mercury concentrations vary in tailing solids, which may include mercury cyanide, mercury sulfides, and
other metallomercury complexes. Tailing solids are typically sampled and analyzed for metals using appro-
priate analytical methods. Tailing liquids are also sampled and analyzed for metals, including total and
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dissolved mercury as required by environmental permits. Low concentrations of dissolved mercury are
typically measured in the tailing. Tailing impoundments use effective containment liner systems.
The presentation was turned over to Mr. Eurick.
Air Emissions
According to Mr. Eurick, the following air pollution control devices are used in precious metal operations to
remove mercury efficiently: mercury recovery/suppression processes, condensers/water chillers, wet elec-
trostatic precipitators, wet scrubbers, baghouses, and carbon filters. In general, the emissions from selected
or processing components are monitored for mercury on a site-specific basis, depending on the recovery
process used, the mineralogy of the deposit, etc. Mercury emissions from precious metal mines can be
measured using EPA stack testing methodology. EPA-approved test methods can also distinguish between
particulate-bound mercury and total mercury (THg).
In the 1998 TRI reports, metal mining operations reported the release of 4,610 pounds of mercury com-
pounds to the atmosphere. However, according to Mr. Eurick, approximately 9,409 pounds of mercury com-
pounds, which were not included in the TRI estimate, were also released from new metal mining sources. A
total of 29,656 pounds of mercury and compounds were released from "all sources (original and new)."
Metal Production
After noting that mercury is offered for sale in the market, Mr. Eurick noted that the State of Nevada pro-
duced approximately 30,000 pounds of mercury in 1999 and 40,000 pounds of mercury in 2000. Mercury
production increased between 1999 and 2000 because new gold recovery technologies were installed dur-
ing that period.
Employee Exposures
Employee exposures to mercury are minimized through material sampling and monitoring and comprehen-
sive hazard recognition training. Employee exposure monitoring is routinely performed and tracked to en-
sure compliance with established occupational health standards. Containment and contingency plans are in
place in the unlikely event of an accidental release.
Conclusions and Directions
Mr. Eurick presented the following conclusions:
Mercury occurs naturally in association with some precious metal ores.
Mercury can be recovered when processing precious metal ores and sold into commerce as a
secondary product.
Minimal releases of mercury to the environment occur.
Mercury capture devices reduce emissions; additional technologies are being explored to further
reduce emissions.
Effective mercury management will continue to improve as the precious metal industry moves to
meet future challenges.
Mr. Eurick closed by noting that increased attention needs to be paid to developing, applying, and under-
standing the following:
In-process mercury balances
Capture and recovery systems
Air pollution control devices
Offsite transport and deposition issues
Technology transfer opportunities
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Section 3
Technical Sessions
3.1 Modern Mining
3.1.1 Sources of Mercury from Mineral Deposits - James Rytuba, USGS
Introduction
Mercury deposits are distributed globally in 26 mercury mineral belts that are typically localized along major
plate boundaries or intra-plate zones of extension. The mercury mineral belts consist of mercury deposits
with significant production, which is greater than 1000 flasks (a flask contains 76 pounds of mercury), small
mercury occurrences having small or no production, and areas of altered country rock containing elevated
concentrations of mercury. In North America, the California Coast Range mercury mineral belt has been the
largest producer of mercury and contains 51 mines that have produced over 1000 flasks of mercury (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Mercury mineral belts in North America consist of mercury deposits with significant
production and mercury occurrences with little or no production. Shaded areas indicate altered
areas with elevated mercury concentration.
Mineral Deposits that Are Sources of Mercury
Three types of mercury deposits are present in mercury mineral belts: silica-carbonate type, hot-spring type,
and Almaden-type. The Almaden-type deposits are the largest mercury deposits, accounting for over one
third of the world's mercury production. Mercury is also produced as a byproduct of hot-spring type gold-
silver deposits, sediment-hosted gold deposits, and zinc-rich massive sulfide deposits. Other mineral de-
posit types contain significant mercury concentrations and distinct mercury mineral phases, primarily cinna-
bar (mercury sulfide), but mercury has not usually been recovered as a byproduct from these deposits.
These deposits include: polymetallic base metal replacement deposits, volcanogenic uranium deposits,
antimony deposits, Franciscan-type and bedded manganese deposits, native copper deposits, and bedded
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barite deposits. Much of the mercury produced has been used in the recovery of gold from placer deposits
and in the processing of precious metal ores that utilized the mercury amalgamation process. The repro-
cessing of gold placer deposits and precious metal mine tailings, such as in the Zacatecas mineral district,
Mexico, is a significant source of byproduct mercury.
Because of environmental concerns and the consequent low price of mercury, large-scale mercury mining
has significantly diminished or ceased in most of the mercury mineral belts during the past two decades. In
North America most mercury mines are closed except for several small mercury mines in Mexico. In the
U.S. and Canada mercury is produced as a byproduct from the mining of hot-spring type gold-silver depos-
its, sediment-hosted gold deposits, and massive sulfide deposits. With increased concerns about the re-
lease of mercury to the atmosphere, limiting the release of mercury vapor from mining and processing will
likely increase the amount of mercury produced as a byproduct from these mineral deposit types.
Most of the world's primary mercury production continues to come from the Almaden mercury district in
Spain. The mercury deposits in this district are large and have very high grades, allowing for the production
of mercury under most economic conditions. Other mercury deposits also contribute significantly to the total
global production of mercury. These include deposits (listed in decreasing amount of production) in Kyrgystan,
China, Algeria, Russia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Mexico, and Slovenia. Significant mercury also contin-
ues to be produced in Finland as a byproduct of the mining of massive sulfide deposits. Similar deposits in
the Urals, (former Soviet Union) and India also contain mercury, but it is released to the atmosphere rather
than recovered during the smelting process.
Primary Mercury Mineral Deposits
Most mercury deposits that occur in the large mercury mineral belts can be classified as either silica-carbon-
ate type or hot-spring type mercury deposits (Rytuba, 1996). The Almaden-type deposits are primarily
restricted to the Almaden district in Spain. Silica-carbonate type and hot-spring type mercury deposits are
usually spatially separated but in some mineral belts, earlier-formed silica-carbonate deposits can be over-
printed by later-formed hot-spring type deposits (Rytuba, 1996).
Silica-carbonate type mercury deposits are associated spatially with serpentinite that has been altered to a
mineral assemblage of silica and carbonate minerals. These deposits are generally small to moderate in
size, and contain from 0.1 to 10.0 million metric tons of ore containing from 0.2 to 0.8 weight percent mer-
cury. The deposits consist of vein and replacement ore bodies developed within and adjacent to silica-
carbonate altered serpentinite. Silica-carbonate alteration is localized along regional faults that separate
serpentinite from adjacent country rock, and the alteration commonly extends up to several kilometers along
the fault zone beyond the margins of the ore bodies. The alteration assemblage is zoned from a central
core of quartz-chalcedony-magnesite-pyrite-marcasite to a peripheral zone of magnesite-calcite-dolomite-
magnetite. The initial alteration process consists of the addition of carbonate to the serpentinite followed by
introduction of silica into the central core (Sherlock, et al., 1993). The peripheral zone of calcite-dolomite
veining may extend for several kilometers outward from the mercury deposit. In addition to mercury, these
deposits commonly have elevated concentrations of antimony (0.1 - 1000.0 ppm), arsenic (2-200 ppm),
nickel (10-3000 ppm), cobalt (5- 100 ppm), thallium (1-12 ppm), and zinc (2-50 ppm). Copper is generally
low, less than 50 ppm, and lead is essentially absent in these deposits. Pyrite and marcasite comprise from
2 to 10 volume percent in the ores except in deposits that formed adjacent to mafic volcanic vents, where
iron sulfide can comprise up to 50 volume percent. Pyrite and marcasite are the primary acid-generating
sulfides in these deposits. The primary ore mineral is cinnabar. Metacinnabar, the high temperature poty-
morph of mercury sulfide, is also commonly present and in some deposits it is the primary ore mineral.
Elemental mercury is typically present but only in small amounts. More rarely, under extreme oxidizing and
low pH conditions, mercury sulfates, chlorides, silicates and chromates are present as coatings in the upper
part of the ore body. The impermeable serpentinite bodies are important in the localization of silica-carbon-
ate type mercury deposits, because their fault-bounded margins impede and channel the flow of mercury-
bearing hydrothermal fluids (Rytuba, 1996). Elevated levels of mercury and small mercury occurrences are
present in the silica-carbonate-alteration zones. The large economic mercury deposits formed in structural
traps, such as antiformal structures, where fluids were localized below impermeable strata. In the large
deposits, the ore bodies are hosted both in silica-carbonate altered serpentinite and in adjacent permeable
clastic sedimentary rocks.
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Hot-spring type mercury deposits are associated closely with volcanic centers and form in the near-surface
environment. The volcanic host rocks and associated clastic sedimentary rocks are altered to an assem-
blage of adularia, quartz, and sericite at depth, and near the surface, to an advanced argillic assemblage
consisting of kaolinite, alunite, and cristobalite, which commonly contains elemental sulfur. Some of these
deposits are hosted by hot spring sinter that was deposited at the surface, and consists of banded silica and
beds of hydrothermal eruption breccia. Cinnabar is the main ore mineral and minor amounts of elemental
mercury are present. Mercury sulfate, chloride, and oxide minerals are present in the upper parts of these
ore bodies and formed during supergene alteration. Because these phases are very soluble, they com-
monly are only preserved in sealed vugs and fractures. The mineral corderoite, Hg3S2CI2, is the dominant
ore mineral at only one hot-spring type mercury deposit, the McDermitt deposit, Nevada. These deposits
have a trace element association consisting of lithium, boron, arsenic, antimony, gold, silver, thallium, and
tungsten. Hot-spring type mercury deposits are often the near-surface expression of hot-spring type gold
deposits that occur at deeper levels, below mercury-enriched sinter, such as at the McLaughlin gold deposit
(Lehrman, 1986).
Almaden-type mercury deposits are the largest and highest-grade mercury deposits. These deposits com-
monly contain from 10 to 100 million metric tons of ore that ranges from 2.0 to 20.0 weight percent Hg. The
Almaden deposit in central Spain is the single largest mercury deposit in the world. These deposits are
associated spatially with mafic submarine vent complexes that consist of mafic dikes and sills, and oval
craters typically with dimensions of 300 meters (m) by 150 m (Hernandez, 1985), and submarine calderas,
such as at the Las Cuevas deposit (Rytuba et al., 1988). The deposits consist of massive cinnabar and
elemental mercury replacement bodies hosted by quartzite, tuff breccia, submarine pyroclastic flows of
mafic to intermediate composition, mafic dikes, and organic-rich black shale. Elemental mercury is the
primary ore mineral in one deposit, Las Cuevas. Primary veins in these deposits are uncommon, and the
cinnabar veins that are present fill gash fractures developed during later regional metamorphism of these
deposits (Rytuba et al., 1988). The replacement deposits hosted by quartzite consist of stratiform zones of
cinnabar, native mercury, pyrite, calcite, and quartz. The grade and thickness of ore bodies is highest near
the margin of the volcanic craters and decreases systematically away from the craters. Mercury is the only
ore metal in these deposits, and the only other trace metal present is zinc. No other mineral deposit type is
associated with these mercury deposits.
Byproduct Mercury from Other Mineral Deposits
Massive sulfide deposits that contain elevated mercury concentrations are typically zinc rich. Mercury is
present in sphalerite, the zinc sulfide. It occurs as a solid solution replacement of zinc (up to 41% mercury)
rather than as a discrete mineral phase. The mercury concentration in massive sulfide deposits is a function
of concentration of zinc and the environment of formation of the deposit. The concentration of mercury in
volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits ranges from 1 -998 ppm, and in sedimentary exhalitive (SEDEX) type
deposits from 6 to 2054 ppm (Schwartz, 1997). In North America the Balmat SEDEX deposit in New York
has the highest mercury concentration, averaging 1200 ppm.
Hot-spring type gold deposits commonly have mercury concentrations that range from one to several hun-
dred ppm. Cinnabar is the primary ore mineral in deposits where mercury concentrations are sufficient to
recover byproduct mercury. However, corderoite is present in some of the deposits and is the primary mer-
cury mineral in a few deposits. Mercury is concentrated in the upper parts of these ore bodies and locally
may reach grades typical of hot-spring type mercury deposits. Sediment-hosted gold deposits have mercury
concentrations from 10 to several 100 ppm. Mercury is present primarily as cinnabar and more rarely as
mercury selenide phases. Mercury is also present in pyrite, and in solid solution in stibnite and orpiment.
Polymetallic base metal replacement deposits that contain high concentrations of zinc may have high con-
centrations of mercury. Like massive sulfide deposits, mercury is present in solid solution within sphalerite.
The average mercury concentration in this deposit type is quite variable but generally low, ranging from 0.5
to 293.0 ppm (Schwartz, 1997). These deposits only rarely contain cinnabar or tetrahedrite.
Antimony, manganese, native copper, bedded barite deposits, and volcanogenic uranium deposits contain
relatively low concentrations of mercury, generally less than 100 ppm. Cinnabar has been reported in some
of these deposits but the low mercury concentration usually precludes identification of the phases in which
mercury resides. In native copper deposits mercury is present as an amalgam, and average concentrations
of the ore bodies range from 0.9 to 19.0 ppm (Kerfoot et al., 2000). In antimony deposits mercury is present
24
-------
in solid solution in stibnite, and concentrations can be as high as several weight per cent. In oxidized parts
of antimony deposits, mercury is present as cinnabar or corderoite within antimony oxide phases.
Mining and Processing Methods
Mercury mine operations were typically small and utilized the comparatively inexpensive process of heating
the mercury ore above the thermal stability limit of cinnabar to volatilize mercury and subsequently recover-
ing liquid mercury in a condensing system. At a few of the largest mines flotation systems were used to
upgrade the ore prior to roasting. Most mines have been underground operations with open stope mining of
high-grade ore shoots. Ore bodies that were present near the surface were mined by open pit methods, but
only a few mines have been exclusively open pit operations.
Mercury ores have been heated in a variety of retorts and several types of furnaces. Furnaces differ from
retorts in that furnaces internally heat the ores, mix fuel combustion products and mercury vapor, and pro-
cess a continuous feed of ore. Retorts consist of one or more pipes that contain a single charge of ore. In
retorts the ore is externally heated and vapors from the fuel do not mix with the volatilized mercury. Because
of their low cost, retorts have been utilized at small mines having small but high-grade ore bodies. In some
of the larger mines with ore processing furnaces, retorts were utilized to purify sooty mercury recovered from
the furnace condensing system. Furnaces that have been utilized include the Scott, Herreshoff, and several
types of rotary furnaces. The rotary furnace was the most commonly utilized. It consists of a rotating, in-
clined iron cylinder into which ore is continuously fed and from which the roasted ore, termed calcine, is
removed. Mercury vapors and other gases are drawn from the upper end of the cylinder into a dust collector
(cyclone) and then processed in a condenser before being released through a stack. The Scott furnace was
generally built of brick and consisted of a series of baffles upon which the ore migrated downward as it was
heated. These furnaces were initially inefficient until considerable ore had been processed through them
and the bricks had become saturated with elemental mercury. At the end of mining the bricks from the
furnace were generally processed in a retort to recover the mercury.
Condensing systems, which cool the vapor from the furnaces in order to separate the liquid mercury from
other stack gases, range from simple single pipe to complex multiple pipe systems. The condensing system
usually consists of a pipe 8-15 inches in diameter and several hundred feet in length that is folded into a
series of U and inverted U shapes. The base of each U in the condensing system is immersed in a water
tank and each is equipped with a drain hole so that condensed elemental mercury can be collected in the
tank. Both air and water-cooled condensing systems have been utilized. In the more simple retorts the
condensing system consists of an iron pipe 2-4 inches in diameter and 5-10 feet long sloping downward
from the top of the retort tube to a collection tank. About two thirds of the product recovered from furnace
condensers is elemental mercury and the remainder consists of fine soot composed of rock dust, mercury
sulfides and sulfates, fuel soot, water and finely dispersed elemental mercury. In the older mines this
material was dried on steam tables. However, this process released mercury to the atmosphere and often
was a serious source of mercury poisoning. Calcium carbonate was used to aid in the mechanical coagula-
tion of finely condensed particles of mercury from soot and collected from the table through a small pipe
leading to a collecting tank. In the larger and more modern mines mechanical mixers or a centrifuge was
employed to remove mercury from the soot.
Mine Wastes and Tailings
Mine wastes generated in the mercury mining process, listed in increasing residual mercury content (con-
centration range noted in ppm) include; waste rock (10-100), low grade ore (100-1000), calcines (10-1000),
condenser soot (1000-10000), and cyclone dust (>10000). Condenser soot and cyclone dust were generally
reprocessed in a retort to recover mercury but often unprocessed condenser soot was discarded with calcines.
The speciation of mercury phases in mine wastes is important in determining the amount of mercury that is
bioavailable when the exposure pathway is through direct ingestion of mine tailings. The speciation of
mercury phases also determines the amount of mercury that is released from tailings and that becomes
available for methylation and subsequent incorporation into biota as MeHg. Direct identification of mercury
phases by X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been utilized to characterize mercury mine wastes (Kim et al.,
1998). Extended X-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) indicates that several mercury phases
are formed during roasting of mercury ores: metacinnabar (high temperature polymorph of HgS), corderoite,
25
-------
schuetteite (HgSO4-H2O) and mercury chlorides (Kim et al., 2000). All of these minerals are more soluble
than cinnabar, and thus calcines can be a significant source of soluble mercury. Metacinnabar commonly is
the dominant mercury phase in calcines derived from silica-carbonate type mercury deposits because dur-
ing the roasting process cinnabar is converted to metacinnabar, and impurities introduced into the
metacinnabar structure impede its conversion back to cinnabar upon cooling to ambient conditions (Kim et
al., 2000). Calcines from hot-spring type deposits commonly contain mercury chloride and sulfate phases in
addition to metacinnabar (Kim et al., 2000).
Mercury-enriched particles and vapor deposited down wind from furnace and retort sites cause local enrich-
ment of mercury in soils. Mercury content is highest in surface, organic-rich soils, ranging from 5 to 25 ppm,
and decreases to background levels at a maximum depth of 0.5 m (Figure 2). Mercury-contaminated soils
and mine wastes constitute sources of mercury-enriched sediment that may be released from mine sites.
Release and transport of mercury from mine wastes occurs primarily during storm events when large fluxes
of mercury may be transported from mine sites primarily in and adsorbed on paniculate phases.
eooo
£000
2000
1000
cacKgrounci soil concentraBon iuong/g
10 20
30 40 50
Depth In cm
60
70
80
Figure 2: Profile of mercury concentration in soil impacted by release of participate mercury and vapor
from mercury mines in the New Wria mercury district, California.
Mine Drainage
Mercury mine drainage typically contains low levels of mercury and MeHg except where mine drainage
flows through mine wastes and leaches mercury and methyl mercury (Rytuba, 2000). The total (unfiltered)
mercury concentration for mine drainage that has not reacted with mine wastes ranges from .005 to 10.000
micrograms per liter (ng/L) for silica-carbonate and hot-spring type deposits (Figure 3). Total methyl mercury
concentration of mine drainage ranges from <.003 to 1.26 nanograms per liter (ng/L) with highest concentra-
tions associated with silica-carbonate type deposits (Figure 4). For both deposit types, filtered samples
(0.45 urn) of mine drainage always have lower concentrations of mercury and MeHg indicating that a signifi-
cant portion of both the THg and MeHg present is adsorbed onto particulate phases (Figures 3 and 4). Total
mercury concentration in mine drainage that has reacted with mine wastes can be as high as 200 ^g/L (parts
per billion (ppb)). Elevated levels of mercury in mine drainage as well as high sulfate concentrations en-
hance methylation of mercury by sulfate reducing bacteria in environments impacted by mine drainage. In
steams impacted by mercury mine drainage, mercury and MeHg are adsorbed onto iron oxyhydroxide and
26
-------
clay particles and are transported primarily on these phases (Rytuba, 2000). In watersheds impacted by
mercury-enriched mine wastes, mercury phases in the steam bed and in overbank sediments constitute
major sources of mercury that can be persistently released to downstream environments.
100
10
1
Hg ng/L
* * 0.1
0,01
onoi
0,0001
10
Sltea-«rtx>Tatetyp»
• Total Hg
» assayed tig
_
_
i
1
J-i
\,
100 1000
suiiatsin mg.i
\yyxi 100000
Hot-spring type
4 Tctel l-g
x Dissolved Hg
Figure 3: Mercury concentration in mercury mine drainage from silica-carbonate type and hot-spring type mercury
deposits.
10— =
1 —
rvi/i
QQG1
-1
10
Silica-carbonate type
• Tstal ig
• DssovsdHg
x
F-
r
1
- tr •
kw 1
W i
y
['"ITT'I
st-i
_J 1
J-1
*f!1
».. 1.
1::i
i
....
•
i • -
100 1QOG 1COOO 100000
Sutfeteh n^L
Hot-^rinj typs
* To.al Hg
x Dissolved Hg
Figure 4: Methyl mercury concentration in mercury mine drainage from silica-carbonate type and hot-spring type mercury
deposits.
27
-------
References
Hernandez, A., 1985, Estructura y genesis de los yacimientos de mercurio de la zona de Almaden:
Unpublished resumen de tesis doctoral, University Salamanca, 64 p.
Kerfoot, W.C., Harting, S.L., Rossmann, R., and Robbins, J.A., 2000, Mercury in metal ore deposits: an
unrecognized, widespread source to Lake Superior sediments, In 11th Annual International
Conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment (J.Nriagu, editor), Contribution. University of
Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Ml (CD-ROM)
Kim, C.S., Brown, G.E. Jr., and Rytuba, J.J., 2000, Characterization and speciation of mercury-bearing mine
wastes using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS): Science of the Total Environment, v. 261, p. 157-
168.
Kim, C.S., Rytuba, J.J., and Brown, G.E. Jr.,1998, Utility of EXAFS in speciation and characterization of
mercury-bearing mine wastes: Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, v. 6, p. 648-650.
Lehrman, N. J., 1986, The Mclaughlin Mine, Napa and Yolo Counties, California in Precious metal
mineralization in hot springs systems, Nevada-California, ed. Tingley, J. V., and Bonham, H. F. Jr.,
eds.,: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Report 41, pp. 85-89.
Rytuba, J.J., 1996, Cenozoic metallogeny of California, in Coyner, A.R., and Fahey, P.L., eds., Geology and
Ore Deposits of the American Cordillera: Geological Society of Nevada Symposium Proceedings,
Reno/Sparks, NV, April 1995, p. 803-822.
Rytuba, J.J., 2000, Mercury mine drainage and processes that control its environmental impact: Science of
the Total Environment, v. 260, p. 57-71.
Rytuba, J.J., Rye, R.O., Hernandez, A.M., Deen, J.A., and Arribas, A., Sr., 1988, Genesis of Almaden-type
mercury deposits: Almaden, Spain, 28th International Geologic Congress Abstracts with Program,
p. 2-741.
Schwartz, M. O., 1997, Mercury in zinc deposits: economic geology of a polluting element: International
Geology Reviews, v. 39, p. 905-923.
Sherlock, R. L, Logan, M. A. V., and Jowett, E. C., 1993, Silica carbonate alteration of serpentinite,
implications for the association of precious metal and mercury mineralization in the Coast Ranges,
in Rytuba, J. J., ed., Active geothermal systems and gold-mercury deposits in the Sonoma-Clear
Lake volcanic fields: Society of Economic Geology Guidebook v. 16, p. 90-116.
3.1.2 An Inventory of Mercury from Gold Mining Operations - Kumar Ganesan,
Montana Tech of University of Montana
Introduction and Objective
The main objective of this research paper is to evaluate mercury contamination due to gold mining opera-
tions in Montana. This paper provides a review of the literature on the current estimates of mercury usage
factor (MUF) and the methods available to estimate the amount of mercury in soil. It also discusses the fate
of mercury in soils and tailings.
Background
Gold and silver mining in the United States of America released large amounts of mercury into the environ-
ment. It is assumed that 90% of mercury produced and imported by the U.S. between 1850 and 1900 was
used for gold and silver extraction. At the turn of the 20th century the use of mercury for this process steadily
decreased, and by the end of 1920 it was substituted with a cyanide process. About 60% of the mercury
used in the gold and silver extraction process was released into the atmosphere mainly through the dry
milling process, the mercury amalgamation with patio process, the squeezing of the amalgam, and the
28
-------
burning of the mercury amalgam. The total amount of mercury emitted into the atmosphere between 1800-
1920 was estimated to be 55,000 tonnes. However, the other 40% of the mercury, about 37,000 tonnes, was
lost into soil and water through mine tailings and surface drainage. The methods used to estimate the
amount of mercury are crude. There is no attempt being made to understand the extent of mercury contami-
nation due to gold mining operations. There is very little information on the potential impact and fate and
transport of mercury bound in the soil and sediments to the environment. Most of the recent studies focus
on lakes and large water bodies that have received mercury mainly by atmospheric deposition processes.
The fate of mercury in waste piles and tailings of old gold and silver mines, however, has not been assessed.
It is assumed that mercury is present in the soil in the elemental mercury form, which has very limited disper-
sion characteristics and is mainly lost to the atmosphere by volatilization. However, mercury is known to
undergo chemical transformation due to biochemical activities and may potentially pose a serious threat to
water bodies. This paper attempts to evaluate the estimation techniques and the fate and transport of mer-
cury in soil.
Mercury is also a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soils, water, and volcanic dust. Elemental
mercury is the most common form found in nature. It can also exist in mono and divalent mercury forms, as
well as in various organic and inorganic compounds.
Estimation Techniques
The amount of mercury in soils due to gold mining operations is currently estimated based on an average
MUF, which is pound of mercury used per pound of gold produced. This value ranges from 1.5 to 4.0. It is
assumed that most of the mercury used in the amalgamation process is lost into the environment. In many
cases the mercury loss factor (MLF) is as high as the mercury usage factor. The MUF widely ranges from
1.5-4.0 and therefore the mercury loss estimate also varies widely. There has not been an attempt to verify
or confirm these estimates through actual measurements or other means.
The second method by which mercury discharge to the environment was estimated was from the amount of
mercury being imported and produced within the country during the Gold Rush era. It was assumed that
90% of the mercury was consumed in gold and silver production. This estimation technique is also very
crude.
The direct and more accurate estimation technique is to actually measure the concentration of mercury in
selected soil known to be contaminated with mercury and to use the results to estimate the amount of
mercury in soils. By knowing the number and size of tailings that are contaminated with mercury, one can
estimate the THg in the soil. It is not practical to sample all the tailings; however, representative sites may be
tested to develop a mercury database to better understand the mercury problem. The difficulty here is that
the mercury would have volatilized and the measurement will provide data on the current situation rather
than the initial conditions. In addition, mercury could have undergone chemical changes and trans-located.
Most of the mercury studies thus far are focused on lakes and water bodies where atmospheric deposition
is the main source of mercury.
There have been attempts to measure mercury degassing from natural and manmade sources. The flux
chamber method was used successfully to estimate the flux of mercury from such sources. The sample
collection, recovery and analysis techniques must be improved to gather credible information. Again this
data gives the amount of mercury that is being volatilized from the soil, and a mathematical model is neces-
sary to obtain soil mercury content. In general Fick's law and Henry's law and a soil-water partitioning
coefficient could be used to estimate the mercury flux from soil. It is also assumed that most of the mercury
in the soil is in elemental form. The soil gas is expected to be in equilibrium with mercury in soil solution or
with mercury in soil solid particle surface. One such equation based on the Fickian model is given below:
Fs = 0.66(p-s) Do [CHg.alr-CHg.soil gas] / D; where Fs is the mercury flux, p and s are soil porosity and degree of
soil moisture saturation, Do is the diffusion coefficient of mercury in air, D is the depth of soil, Cu . and Cu ,
... ~ Hg-air Hg-soilgas
are mercury concentration in air and soil.
Similarly, by using Henry's law, the mercury flux could be related to soil mercury content. It is important to
understand the fate of mercury in soils in order to evaluate the potential health risks if any. Also it is essential
for determining effective remedial technologies for mercury-contaminated soils.
29
-------
During the Gold Rush several western states were explored for gold and silver. There is no accurate record
of the gold and silver mines in Montana, especially during the 1800s when the gold amalgamation process
was used. We have estimated that about 208 tons of gold were produced in Montana between 1800 and
1920. If we use the MUF of 1.5, then about 312 tons of mercury were used during this period. And if we
make an assumption that 40% of this mercury ended up in soils and water (and 60% escaped into the
atmosphere), then about 125 tons of mercury ended up in soil and water in Montana during 1800-1920. This
could be as high as 500 tons if we use a MUF factor of 4.0 instead of 1.5.
Determining the Presence of Mercury in Soil
A gold mining site operated almost a century ago was the site selected to conduct this field study. The Great
Divide Ski Area in the Marysville Mining District near Helena, Montana was reported to have some mercury
in the soils in the ski slopes. Montana Tech's Geophysical Engineering Department and the Environmental
Engineering Department used a Ground Penetrating/Probing Radar (GPR) along with metal resistivity mea-
surements to identify the presence of mercury in the soil. The results from this study are not available for
interpretation. However, initial data indicates that this technique is not very accurate for soils contaminated
with very small concentrations of mercury.
Mercury in Soils and Its Chemistry
It is reported that in Carson River, Nevada, over 100,000 tons of mercury contaminated soil have been
worked on, which has up to 4900 ug/g of mercury in soils. In Nova Scotia, tailings built in the 1840s still have
mercury levels as high as 500,000 ug/g in soils. In the South Mountains Gold fields of North Carolina,
sediments downstream of an old gold refinery built and operated in 1830 for thirty years contained up to 7.4
ug/g of soil. The moss samples collected in the vicinity showed up to 4.9 ug/g of mercury. These are some of
the data that confirm the hypothesis that old gold mine tailings may have copious amounts of mercury still
left in soil and its fate has not been evaluated.
Depth ,ft
The preceding figure shows the mercury levels in gold mine tailings in Marysville, Montana. The mill was in
operation in the mid 1800s. The Bureau of Land Management measured the mercury level in the soil in
1992.
The literature studies indicate the possibility of methylation of mercury in soil medium. It is assumed that the
mechanism by which the conversion takes place is the same as in an aquatic environment. Mercury in soil
may be methylated both chemically and biologically. The biological methylation involves three major coen-
zymes, S-adenosyl methionine, N5-methyltetrahydrofolate derivatives and methylcorrinoid derivatives (vita-
min B12). These coenzymes are known to aid the methyl group transfer. Of the three coenzymes mentioned
above, the methylcorrinoid derivatives are the only known agents capable of transferring the carbanion
methyl group directly. Therefore, it is believed that the methylcorrinoid derivatives are the active agents in
microbial methylation.
30
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After an initial build-up of methyl mercury in soil, there appeared to be a mechanism that decreased the
methyl mercury concentration with increasing time. However, methyl mercury could be persistent to all but
specific biochemical processes. This process is not well understood. There are several parameters that
affect the formation of methyl mercury in soil. These parameters are pH, Eh, soil mercury content, soil
organic content, organic heavy metal content, salt content and composition of soil, presence of sulfur and
chlorides, temperature, and microbial activity. The soil pH and redox potential dictate the availability of ionic
mercury for the formation of methyl mercury. Also, the formation of mono or diMeHg depends on the pH of
the soil. The temperature also plays an important role in the formation of methyl mercury, as methyl mercury
is capable of volatilizing even at normal temperatures. The soil organic content and the presence of other
heavy metal organics contribute to the methyl group required to form methyl mercury. The presence of
sulfur as sulfide in the soil can readily form mercuric sulfide or Cinnabar, a very stable naturally-occurring
compound. Hence, sulfide content in the soil can decrease the availability of ionic mercury. Microbial activity
is also an important parameter in the formation of methyl mercury. Microorganisms seem to play a signifi-
cant role in the formation and degradation of methyl mercury. The type of bacteria present dictates whether
formation or degradation is supported.
Conclusions
It is postulated that thousands of tons of mercury from gold amalgamation processes may still be in tailings.
The fate and transport of mercury in soil must be studied in order to effectively evaluate the potential health
risk, if any, due to mercury in soils.
3.1.3 The Problem of Mercury Contamination in Gold-Mining Areas of Russia -
Tatyana G. Laperdina, Chita Institute of Natural Resources, Siberian
Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences
Mercury contamination in gold-mining areas of Russia is an extremely real problem, though at present
solving this problem is not recognized by governmental bodies and so does not have financial support. It
should be noted that the assessment of the intensity and scale of mercury contamination of different territo-
ries requires complex and expensive field and laboratory investigations.
Siberia and the Far East are the oldest and the richest gold-mining areas of Russia. Intensive gold-mining
here started in the beginning of the 19th century. For the most part gold-bearing ores and sands were
processed with the use of the amalgamation method for gold extraction, which has been used industrially
since the second half of the 19th century. As a result of the long-term and intensive use of amalgamation,
severe mercury contamination of technogenic and residential areas and cases of mercury intoxication of
attendants were registered. This is the reason that since 1990, mercury has been officially prohibited for use
at gold extraction plants, and since 1991, in the processing of gold-bearing ores and sands at dredges and
hydraulic devices. Illegal and uncontrolled use of mercury still persists to the present. In connection with
reorganization and decentralization of gold-mining in Russia, most of the archival data has become difficult
to access. Therefore at present it is very difficult to assess the THg loading of different gold mining territo-
ries.
There is little published information on the results of investigations of mercury contamination of gold-mining
regions of Russia. It is associated with the previous prolonged governmental restriction on publishing infor-
mation on gold-mining and also with a previous lack of necessary methodical and instrumental equipment,
especially for the analysis of mercury in contaminated and natural waters. The most comprehensive inves-
tigations on the estimation of mercury contamination were carried out in gold mines of the Chita Region
(Table 1). The review of available literary data on mercury pollution of the environment is presented in Table 2.
31
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Table 1. Mercury Concnetrations in the Environmental Compartments of Gold-Mining Areas
and Background Zones of Chita Region
Sampling
Sites
Rock Mineral,
mg kg-1
Atmos.
Air,
ngnv'
Soil,
mg kg '
Water
Dissolved,
ngr'
Sediment
mg kg-'
mgkg-'
Bottom
Sediment
mg kg-1
Mines "Tugir," "Uryum" (the Tungir-Olyokma raion)
Background
Industrial
(8)
<5^8
(3)
<5-43
(4)
(13)
(6)
(14)
<5-130
(16)
<5-50
(14)
(16)
(14)
(16)
(11)
(15)
Mine "Ksenyevsky" (the Mogocha raion)
Background
Industrial
(7)
(13)
<1^6
(15)
<±6
(28)
(9)
(25)
<10-60
(14)
<10-50
(42)
(14)
8-2240
(42)
(14)
0.7-1860
(42)
(14)
(33)
Mine "Beleyzoloto," including mine "Bukuka" (the Baley raion)
Background
Industrial
(12)
(16)
±4
(10)
1-40
(19)
(9)'
(2)
<10-10
(13)
<1 0-5000
(41)
<10-20
(13)
(40)
(13)
0.6-321
(40)
' (9)
(21)
Mine "Lyubov" (the Kyra raion)
Background
Industrial
5J1
(3)
6-183
(23)
(4)
(12)
<5-10
(6)
<5-30
(24)
<5-60
(6)
<5-430
(24)
(6)
0.2-15.5
(24)
(2)
' (17) '
Table 2. Mercury Concentration in the Environmental Compartments of Gold-Mining Areas and Background Zones
*-Snow
Sampling
Sites
Concentration Ranges of Mercury
Rock Mineral,
mgkg"
Gravel,
Tailings,
mg kg-1
Atmos. Air,
ngma
Industr. Air,
ngm3
Soil,
mgkg-1
Water
Dissolved,
ngr'
Particulate
ngl'1
mgkg-'
Bottom
Sediment;
mgfcg-1
Chita Region [Laperdina, 1995, 1996]
Background
Industrial
0.001-0.028
<0.001 -0.307
0.43-54.2
<1-11
<1-183
5-250000
0.013-0.14
0.015-3.59
<5-15
<5-5000
<5-380
<5-27800
0.4-112
0.2-1860
0.008-0.11
0.010-54.2
Republic of Buryatia (Irokendinskoe deposit) [Taisayev, 1991]
Industrial
1.0-5.0
Krasnoyarsk Region [Roslyakov, 1995: Makarov, 1996]
Background
Industrial
0.01 -759 g
rrr1
0.034-0.18
0.035-3.0
Novosibirsk Region (Atfinage plant) [Roslykov, 1995]
Background
Industrial
0.03-0.08
0.03-18.9
0.04*
6.8*
Republic of Yakytia [Bodienkov, 1984; Rukavishnikov, 1984; Omelchenkov, 1985]
Background
Industrial
0.01-0.04
0.15-4.0
1 00-230000
Amur Region [Koval, 1997]
Industrial
0.6-2000
Khabarovsk Region [Koval, 1997]
Industrial
1.0-1000
As the results of investigations of several gold-mining territories have shown, the most severe mercury
contamination is registered near gold extracting plants with the direct use of mercury in technological pro-
cesses. Stable and, as a rule, local contamination of the territory fixed in these areas is characterized by
high mercury concentrations in atmospheric air (40-183 ng/m3), in heaps and tailings dumps (0.43-2000 mg/
32
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kg), in soils (0.57-3.59 mg/kg), in technogenic water reservoirs and streams (dissolved forms 60-5000 ng/L,
suspended forms 380-27800 ng/L, and bottom sediments 0.130-3.24 mg/kg). Extremely high mercury con-
centrations were registered in the air of working places at dredges with sluice amalgamation (up to 10000
ng/m3) and in the places of amalgams burning in gold extraction plants [up to 2 mg/m3], as well as in enrich-
ment tailings and contaminated ground nearby plants used for preparation and reprocessing of gold con-
centrates. High mercury concentrations registered in industrial zones have become the cause of an essen-
tial increase (>3 times) in mercury background levels in residential territories.
The investigations of the gold-mining areas (Table 2) were as a rule, of initiative, occasional character, and
did not have financial support from the Federal and regional authorities. On the basis of these results it is
impossible to correctly estimate the level of mercury contamination at all gold-mining areas of Russia. Hence,
in connection with increasing environmental contamination, it is necessary to develop the governmental
program determining the intensity and scale of mercury contamination of technogenic and residential territo-
ries, including measures to control and remediate contaminated territories. But taking into account the
extremely difficult financial situation in Russia, one cannot hope to receive the financial support of the gov-
ernment at once and in sufficient amounts. Therefore it is necessary to carry out a number of primary
measures which will contribute to the acceleration of development and government affirmation of the pro-
gram to solve the problem of mercury contamination in gold-mining areas of Russia. In some regions of
Russia (the Krasnoyarsk, Chita, Amur and Chabarovsk Regions), technologies for processing of mercury-
bearing tailings of gold mines with separation of gold and mercury are being developed and used. In these
regions specific regional programs determining stocks of and control over mercury contaminated areas are
being developed at present.
The problem of negative impact of mercury contamination on the health of the population is complicated by
a considerable decline of socio-economic living conditions in the severe climate of Siberia and the Far East,
and also by contamination of traditional gold-mining areas with the other accompanying pollutants (arsenic,
antimony, lead, etc.). The imbalance of macro- and micro component composition of drinking waters and
food ration of the population, endemic deficit of vital microelements (selenium, iodine, etc.) intensify danger-
ous accumulation of mercury in living organisms.
3.1.4 Coal Cleaning as a Tool lor Controlling Mercury Emissions from Coal
Combustion - Michael A. Nowak (Presenter), U.S. DOE, National Energy
Technology Laboratory; Carl Marond, U.S. DOE, National Energy Technology
Laboratory; and Thomas J. Feeley, III, U.S. DOE, National Energy Technology
Laboratory
Approximately 1.1 billion tons of coal are mined each year in the U.S. and the vast majority is used for
electric power generation. The burning of coal for power production is estimated to contribute approximately
one-third of the 150 tons per year of mercury emissions in the U.S. Approximately 50% of the steam coal is
Eastern bituminous coal and 50% is Western subbituminous from the Powder River Basin. Approximately
75% of all Eastern coal is cleaned to some extent. Powder River basin coals are lower in sulfur and are not
cleaned. Cleaning processes applied to Eastern bituminous coals are largely "conventional" techniques,
normally processing coal having a size of +20 mesh or larger. Some preparation plants clean coal fines, but
some operations employ little more than crushing to reduce coal to an appropriate size for ready transport to
and handling at electric utilities. Crushing may liberate some large rock impurities from the coal. The extent
that these coals are cleaned is driven by the characteristics of the as-mined coal and specifications for Btu,
sulfur, and ash content that the utilities have negotiated into their contracts with coal suppliers. Because
there is no economic benefit nor penalty, coal cleaning is not optimized for mercury or trace element re-
moval.
The scope of an older (1978) DOE-sponsored study by BCR involved two coals. One was intended to be
representative of the Appalachian Region of the U.S., and the other was intended to be representative of the
Interior Region of the U.S. Coal preparation was limited to crushing, sizing, heavy-media cycloning, and
hydraulic classifying. Correlation coefficients relating trace elements (but not mercury) to ash and sulfur
reduction were determined.
BCR's observation that 70% and 55% mercury reductions at 80% recovery could be obtained using gravity
techniques with 30-mesh topsize Upper Freeport and Illinois No. 6 coals needs to be received with caution.
33
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Analytical techniques for analyzing trace elements in coal, particularly mercury, were still in their develop-
mental stages. Some of the "clean" fractions had higher mercury concentrations than head samples, possi-
bly owing to mercury volatilization from stored head samples. Also, the essential unit operation employed by
BCR to reject ash and concomitant trace elements was hydroclassification. Hydroclassification is not con-
sidered a true gravimetric technique.
In 1993 DOE collaborated with Southern Company Services to determine the extent that selective agglom-
eration could remove trace elements from coal. Eighty hours of parametric testing were conducted at a
scale of up to two tons per hour. The coals investigated in this study were Upper Freeport, Pittsburgh No. 8,
and Illinois No. 5. Realizing that accurate analytical work was necessary to ensure acceptance of their
findings, SCS employed a four-laboratory round-robin analysis of samples. Despite the analytical results
being within the limits of available technology, the SCS project was plagued by poor data agreement among
the four referee labs. For one coal (Upper Freeport), conventional cleaning plus selective agglomeration
could reduce trace element concentrations significantly. However, one of the trace elements not signifi-
cantly reduced was mercury.
CQ, Inc., realized the difficulty in trying to measure the mercury content of every raw coal and processed
coal on a real-time basis and sought to avoid the problem by rigorous analysis of the few (25) data points
publicly available in 1993. They determined that mercury reduction could be correlated to the mercury
concentration in the raw coal, ash reduction, and sulfur reduction. The accuracy or confidence in the result-
ing predictive equations was lacking due to the need for more data points.
AMAX, with the support of DOE, set out in 1995 to produce a premium fuel, i.e., one that contained less than
2% ash and 0.6% S. Such deep reductions in ash and pyritic sulfur were expected to lead to significant
trace element reductions. Five coals were collected for the study. These low-sulfur, high-volatile bituminous
coals, were precleaned before being subjected to one of two advanced column flotation technologies, Kenflote
& Microcel, or selective agglomeration. Tests with the column flotation techniques were performed at the
100 pounds per hour (Ib/hr) scale and selective agglomeration was conducted with heptane at 25 Ib/hr.
Mercury reductions ranging from 36% to 51% were realized when three of the conventionally cleaned coals
were subjected to advanced column flotation. Flotation had no impact on the other two coals. However,
when examined on a ROM basis, it is clear that conventional coal cleaning was making a significant contri-
bution to the overall mercury reduction. Selective agglomeration gave significant results for only one coal,
but this coal was ground to a particle size of 20 microns. Again, conventional circuitry removed 57% to 82%
of the mercury from the ROM coal. It should be noted that these coals started with relatively low mercury
concentrations.
McDermott Corporation (1997) examined three Ohio Coals ranging in mercury concentration from 140 ppb
to 300 ppb. The Ohio No. 6 coal was treated in a circuit using jigs, cyclones, centrifuges, and thickeners.
The Meigs No. 9 circuit incorporated a heavy media bath, heavy media cyclone, and spirals. The Ohio 5/6
coal was simply crushed to 4 inches and processed in a jig at 1.55 specific gravity. The ash and sulfur
contents of these ROM coals were reduced by 55% to 70% and 30% to 40%, respectively. Mercury content
was reduced by 35% to 45%.
Three trace element control projects (CQ, Little Bear Laboratories, and Virginia Tech) were the result of a
1995 DOE solicitation called "Advanced Environmental Control Technologies for Coal-Based Power Sys-
tems." CQ examined four representative coals: Northern Appalachian (144 ppb Hg), Southern Appalachian
(210 ppb Hg), Eastern Interior (151 ppb Hg), and Powder River Basin (98 ppb Hg). Their team examined
modes of occurrence and physical, chemical, and biological coal cleaning. Examination of physical clean-
ing methods employed coals ground to four different mesh sizes and separated into five different gravity
fractions. CQ also used the data to refine the predictive equations they developed in 1993. The data
showed that individual coals respond differently to various techniques and conditions. Float sink data for the
Southern Appalachian coal showed nearly 80% mercury reduction at 85% energy recovery but less than
20% mercury reduction at 60% energy recovery for the Powder River Basin coal. The highest mercury
reduction with the Northern Appalachian was achieved with gravity separations and the lowest mercury
reduction was achieved using agglomeration. Flotation gave intermediate results. Crushing Northern Appa-
lachian coal to -100 mesh improved mercury reduction at 90% energy recovery from 25% to more than 50%.
Treatment of coal with an ionic aqueous media at elevated temperature provided up to 50% mercury reduc-
tion in middlings fractions. CQ believed the mechanism was related to organic mercury bound in the organic
fractions.
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In collaboration with DOE and CQ, the USGS attempted to improve our understanding of the modes of
occurrence of mercury in coal. This knowledge would help determine the best methods for removing mer-
cury. Based on leaching and SEM microprobe analyses, the USGS concluded that for the four representa-
tive coals in the CQ study, the mercury occurs in three forms, with up to 65% of the mercury being associ-
ated with pyrite, 25% to 35% associated with organic fractions, and 5% to 30% associated with HCI soluble
sulfides. Eastern Interior coal tended to have more mercury associated with pyrite, and Powder River Basin
coal tended to have more mercury associated with organic fractions and HCI soluble sulfides.
Little Bear Laboratories undertook an investigation of bioleaching as a means to remove mercury from coal.
Bioleaching had been successfully applied in ore processing and since mercury was associated with pyrite,
it was hoped that bacterium such as T. Ferroxidans could liberate and/or solubilize mercury. During the
course of the project, LBL also examined combined physical and biological cleaning methods to reduce the
mercury concentration in coal. Neither T. Ferroxidans nor thermophilic bacteria were found to be effective in
solubilizing or liberating mercury. However, treating 28 X 100 mesh coals with thermophiles made up to
30% of the mercury soluble in HCI.
Virginia Tech examined three coals, a Pittsburgh No. 8, Illinois No. 6, and a Coalburg seam coal. Charac-
terization included mineralogy for natural fines (65 X 100) at nine density fractions. Virginia Tech found a
strong correlation between mercury and pyrite, a weak correlation with ash and ankerite, and negative,
weak correlation with the organic material. The following data for Pittsburgh No. 8 coal is representative of
Virginia Tech's results. A dense-media circuit processing coarse coal could reject 37% of the mercury.
Using an enhanced gravity separator, 85% mercury rejection at 85% combustible recovery could be achieved.
Column flotation using 28 x 100 mesh feed coal could achieve 78% mercury reduction at 88% yield. Virginia
Tech designed a conceptual three-component circuit that could achieve 75% mercury rejection.
In 1998, EXPORTech initiated a project on the removal of selected HAPs precursors by dry magnetic sepa-
ration. Power plant pulverizers are designed to reject large (i.e., difficult to grind) particles and therefore
tend to concentrate pyrite and other minerals in the pulverizer. Intended for processing of mill concentrate,
EXPORTech tested their patented ParaMag separator with several coals, using a magnetic field to reject
pyrite, and concomitantly, mercury. EXPORTech found that for two eastern coals, mercury reductions of
32% and 51 %, respectively, could be obtained at more than 90% Btu recovery. Pyritic sulfur reductions
were 47% and 38% respectively. Pyrite and mercury reductions of 75% were observed for one Western
bituminous coal. The technique takes advantage of the fact that even coals that are not normally cleaned at
the mine can be beneficiated. Thus, Powder River Basin coals were included in the tests. Pyritic sulfur
reductions of 25% and 11% corresponded to reductions in mercury of 27% and 5%, respectively for the two
PRB coals. Strong, positive correlations between mercury and pyrite concentrations were found for three
Pittsburgh seam coals, an Upper Kittaning and a Lower Freeport coal.
In 1997, the U.S. DOE entered into an Interagency Agreement with USGS, which also partnered with Elec-
tric Power Research Institute (EPRI), various State Geological Surveys, coal companies, utilities, and EPA
to generate characterization data on major coal beds that are currently mined and those expected to be
mined within the next twenty to thirty years. The project is focusing on characterization of trace element
concentrations in ROM and cleaned coals, but will also look at channel and reject samples.
The data presented here emphasizes percent reductions possible, not absolute values. As in all coal clean-
ing operations, liberation of the particles bearing undesirable components is critical. Mercury association
with pyrite has been shown to be significant, and pyrite rejection is reasonably effective for removing mer-
cury. Individual coal cleaning operations with specific coals can remove more mercury than when reported
as "average values." More aggressive "conventional" cleaning and/or advanced technologies can make a
significant impact on mercury reductions at preparation plants. The potential impact of coal cleaning must
be assessed on a case-by-case basis and an assessment of current mercury reductions should be con-
ducted. Powder River basin coals are not cleaned, but they represent a significant portion of our steam coal
consumption and cleaning of these coals may represent a significant opportunity for mercury reductions.
Basic trace element characterizations of U.S. coal resources are lacking. Reliable standards and faster,
cheaper, and more reliable analytical methods that can enable the characterization of those resources are
needed. Coordination between programs such as ICR and NaCQI is logical, and support for these types of
activities is also needed.
35
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Ultimately, the viability of the precombustion mercury control option relies on the degree of control desired,
the flexibility in obtaining the desired level of control, the acceptability by the end user of the product coal,
the ancillary operations and transportation costs associated with delivering that product, and incentives for
operators to optimize circuits for mercury rejection.
3.1.5 Mercury Emissions from Induration of Taconite Concentrate Pellets - Stack
Testing Results from Facilities in Minnesota - Hongming Jiang, Ph.D.,
P.E. (Presenter), Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Stuart Arkley, Q.E.P.,
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Trent Wickman, P.E., Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency
Stack testing has been conducted since 1997 to determine mercury emissions to the atmosphere from
taconite (low-grade iron ore) pellet indurating furnaces at all seven taconite pellet producing facilities on the
Mesabi Range in northern Minnesota. Raw materials, products, and wastes associated with taconite pellet
production have also been analyzed for their mercury content. These efforts were made to evaluate how
much mercury is released to the environment, as a whole, during taconite pellet processing.
We have learned that mercury emissions to the atmosphere from the indurating furnace can be attributed to
various factors. They include the high material throughput rate and the high processing temperature, which
is a result of the intense heating from both fuel combustion and magnetite (Fe3O4) oxidation (an exothermic
reaction). The mercury content of taconite ore is variable and therefore plays an important role in atmo-
spheric emissions from plant to plant. At this time, it is not clear to what extent coal as a fuel contributes to
mercury emissions, since the furnaces were fired with natural gas in all but one test. Mercury speciation has
emerged as an important tool because the chemical form of mercury emitted (particulate-bound, oxidized,
or elemental) plays a role in mercury removal from the stack gas stream, transport of mercury regionally and
globally, and toxicological effects. One recent stack test found that more than 93% of the mercury emitted
from the stacks was elemental mercury. Finally, our data analysis suggests that indurating furnace emis-
sions are similar to emissions of coal-fired utility boilers in (total) mercury concentration.
The information reported in this paper is useful to regulatory authorities who may be contemplating control
of mercury emissions from these and other similar sources. It is also useful to regulators, researchers, and
concerned citizens who want to be informed of the current level of mercury emissions from these industrial
sources.
3.2 Source Identification and Characterization
3.2.1 Contributions of Mercury to California's Environment from Mercury and
Gold Mining Activities — Insights from the Historical Record - Ronald K.
Churchill, Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology
(DOC/DMG)
California environmental mercury issues relate to historical mining operations in two ways. The first is to
mercury mining activity. Between 1846 and 1981, about 103.6 million kg of mercury were produced within
the state. The second is to historic gold mining activities that took place during the last half of the 19th
century and the early 20th century, which depended upon gold recovery processes using mercury. Signifi-
cant quantities of mercury were lost to the environment during both of these activities. This paper will show
that historic records and reports from a variety of sources provide valuable information and insights into how
and where these mercury losses occurred. They also allow estimation of the quantity and timing of these
losses.
Most of the mercury deposits in California occur within a portion of the Coast Ranges geomorphic province
extending from near Clear Lake in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south. Other mercury deposits
are present in northwestern California, in the Basin and Range Province, and one small deposit was mined
in the Sierra Nevada foothills. From historic records, the California DOC/DMG has identified 239 mines with
production of at least one flask (34.0 to 34.7 kg) of mercury. An additional 54 sites may have had small
unrecorded production. Based on published and unpublished data from the USBM and DOC/DMG, these
36
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mines produced about 103.6 million kg of mercury. As is typical for metallic ore deposits, a few large mines
account for most of the mercury production. The 25 largest mines account for about 100 million kg, or about
97%, of California's mercury production. The two largest mines, New Almaden and New Idria, account for
about half of the total production. Cinnabar (HgS) is the dominant mercury ore mineral in most of these
deposits. Some deposits also contain significant occurrences of metacinnabar (also HgS in composition)
and, in a few instances, native mercury. Many mercury deposits were originally found by the recognition of
the presence of silica-carbonate rock, a topographically prominent rock type commonly associated with
many mercury deposits. Other deposits were found by panning stream sediments and hillside soils for the
presence of cinnabar or native mercury.
Mercury ore processing routinely occurred at the mine sites. Mercury ore processing was relatively straight-
forward and involved heating the ore in furnaces or retorts to break down the mercury sulfide ore minerals
and liberate the mercury vapor. The mercury vapor was subsequently cooled and collected as liquid mer-
cury in a condenser. Some mercury was lost to the environment wherever processing occurred. Mercury
losses occurred by absorption into furnace bricks, trapping as fine droplets in solid residue, called soot, that
formed in the condensers, as vapor that failed to be trapped in the condensers and exited to the atmo-
sphere, during cleaning of the condensers and by spillage of recovered mercury during handling.
Mercury furnace losses gradually decreased over time as more efficient furnaces and better recovery prac-
tices were developed. By 1890, 15% to 20% losses could be achieved at well run plants, but losses at
poorly run plants were still as much as 40%. By 1917, overall losses were believed to be about 25% and by
1950, losses of 5% to 10% were achieved at the best plants (Roush, 1952; Bradley, 1918). If it is assumed
that an average furnace loss rate for all mercury ore processed in California is 25%, then roughly 34.5
million kg of mercury may have been lost to the environment from historic mercury mining activity. Some
mercury lost at these sites was recovered later by processing old furnace bricks in new furnaces, mining and
processing soil under old furnace sites, reprocessing soot and tailings piles, and processing gravel down-
stream of mercury mine sites.
From 1850 until the 1890s, the California mercury mines were the only domestic source of mercury in the
U.S. During this period, mercury production greatly exceeded domestic need, and about 70% of the mer-
cury produced in California was exported, primarily to other Pacific Rim countries. Small quantities of
mercury were imported during this time but these were probably largely utilized for manufacturing of vermil-
ion, other mercury products, and for felt manufacturing at factories in the eastern U.S. A large amount of
California mercury was shipped to Virginia City, Nevada, for use in processing the Comstock Lode silver
ores. With these exports, little or no foreign imports, and no other domestic mercury sources, it is very
unlikely that the amount of mercury available for use in the gold mining industry in California could have
exceeded 10.3 million kg during the period 1850 to 1890.
The discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada Foothills in 1848 marks the beginning of significant gold mining
activity in California. The DOC/DMG Minefile database contains approximately 13,500 historic gold mine
and gold prospect listings for California. Most of these mines are located in the central and northern portions
of the Sierra Nevada, the adjacent easternmost portions of the Great Valley, and the Klamath Mountains
geomorphic provinces. Three types of gold deposits are dominant in these areas: 1) unconsolidated surficial
placer deposits; 2) weakly to strongly consolidated ancient (buried) placer deposits, and 3) lode (quartz
vein) deposits. (Large low-grade disseminated gold deposits of several types have accounted for most gold
production in the state for the last 20 years. Although some of these are located in the Sierra Nevada
province, they will not be discussed further because mercury was not used in processing ore from these
deposits.)
Unconsolidated surficial placer deposits were the first gold deposits worked in California. These deposits
were largely exhausted by 1858. Some mercury was undoubtedly used and lost in gold recovery from these
surficial placers, but no records exist describing the quantities involved. About this time several technologi-
cal innovations occurred that made the mining of ancient placer deposits and lode (hard rock) deposits
practical. For the former, it was the development of a new method of mining called hydraulic mining. For the
latter it was improvement in the design of the stamp mill for processing lode ore. Gold recovery in both of
these operations depended upon the mercury amalgamation for gold recovery.
Hydraulic mining utilizes a high-pressure stream of water to expose and disaggregate ancient placer grav-
els. The gold bearing gravel is then transported by flowing water through a series of sluices (wooden
37
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troughs). The bottoms of these sluices have perpendicular cleats extending the full width of the sluice.
Mercury is placed behind these cleats to trap and hold gold by amalgamation. Sluices used at hydraulic
mining operations ranged in size from hundreds to thousands of feet in length. Periodically the flow of water
and gravel was stopped, the gold-mercury amalgam from the bottom of the sluice removed, and the gold
and mercury recovered by retorting the amalgam. This method of mining reached its peak in the 1870s.
Debris deposition and resulting flooding problems downstream of these operations led to a legal decision in
1884 that greatly curtailed the practice of hydraulic mining in the state. Other methods of placer mining that
followed hydraulic mining, such as gold dredging, also utilized mercury amalgamation, but the mercury loss
rates for these methods were much less. Estimates of mercury losses from placer mining are given in Table
1. These loss figures are based upon estimates of the amount of placer gold produced during different
periods and published mercury loss rates per ounce of gold produced for different placer mining methods.
Lode gold mining is a mining technique where quartz veins are followed, usually by underground workings.
The gold ore in and along the veins is removed and taken to a mill at the surface for processing to recover
the gold. The predominant type of mill for processing lode gold ores from the late 1850s to about 1940 was
the stamp mill. At the stamp mill, ore from the mine was roughly crushed and then slowly fed into a battery
of stamps. A stamp battery consists of a series of adjacent steel rods held in a vertical, rectangular frame.
Collars on the rods interact with a type of camshaft that raises the stamps and then lets them drop by gravity.
The rods are fitted with very heavy cone-shaped metal shoes at the lower end which strike metal dies when
dropped, pulverizing any ore caught in between. This process liberates grains of gold from its host quartz.
This ore pulverization process takes place in a cast iron trough, called a mortar, which is filled with mercury.
Table 1. Calculated Mercury Loss from Placer Gold Mining Activity in California
Period
1848-1858
1859-1884
1885-1899
1900-1934
1935-1968
1969-1976
Total
Oz
Pteeer
Gold*
(Millions)
26.2
21.2
2.2
10.8
7.8
0.0
68.2
Hg Loss Rat0*
—oz Gold Recovered
per Pound Hg Lost
16
3
4
23
34.25
16
Million Pounds
Hg L0st
1.64
7.09
0.55
0.47
0.23
0.0
9.98
Million Kg Hg
Lost
0.75
3.22
0,25
0-21
0.10
Q.QO
4.53
Percent
16.6
71.7
5.5
4.6
2.2
0
100.0
'Production data compiled from Hill, 1929; Minerals Resources of the United States (USGS); and Minerals Yearbook
(USBM-for example of loss rates see Review of 1940, p. 228) through 1976. Also see loss rates in Hanks (1882).
The mercury amalgamates with the freed gold and traps it in the mortar. Water moving through the stamp
battery removes the finely pulverized quartz and other rock waste from the mortar. This slurry then flows
over an inclined table lined with copper sheeting coated with mercury to catch additional fine gold that may
not have been trapped in the mortar. Additional mechanical or non-mechanical devices were sometimes
employed after the amalgamation tables for further gold recovery or recovery of sulfides containing gold.
Periodically, the stamp mill was shut down and the gold-mercury amalgam scraped from the mortar and
from the amalgamation tables for gold and mercury recovery by retorting.
Mercury was lost at both hydraulic mining and stamp milling operations. A principal way mercury was lost in
both operations was through "flouring." Flouring is a situation where small particles of mercury, generated
during the churning action of stamps in the mortar, or turbulent flow of gravel and water in the sluice, are able
to float off with the water moving across these devices. Mercury was also lost by leakage through the
bottom of sluices, through chemical reactions during ore milling and during retorting to separate gold from
amalgam. For hydraulic mining, probably about one pound of mercury was lost for every three or four
ounces of gold recovered (Hanks, 1882). Other methods of processing placer deposits recovered 5 to 10
times this amount of gold per pound of mercury lost. Mercury loss at stamp mills gradually decreased over
time from about 0.06 pounds of mercury per ton of ore processed in the 1850s to about 0.03 pounds per ton
in the 1890s and finally to about 0.004 pounds per ton in the 1930s and later (Preston, 1895; Richards,
1906; Ransom, 1918). Estimates of mercury lost during the processing of lode gold ores by stamp milling
are given in Table 2. These losses are based upon estimates of lode gold produced, likely average ore
grades during different periods, and published mercury loss rates per ton of lode ore processed.
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Table 2. Calculated Mercury Loss from Milling Lode Gold Ore in California
Period
1848-1858
1859-1884
1885-1896
1897-1934
1935-1968*
1969-1978*
Total
Oz Gold**
(Millions)
0.240
6.379
5.396
18.335
6.898
0.023
37.271
Grade Oz per
Ton
1
0.5
0.3
0.25
0.11
0.11
Tons Ore
(Millions)
0.241
12.758
17.987
73.343
62.710
0.209
167.248
Hg Loss Rate
Lb per Ton
0.0600
0.0450
0.0313
0.0200
0.0040
0.0040
Lbs Hg Lost
pillions)
0.0144
0.5741
0.5629
1 .4668
0.2508
0.0008
2.8698
Kg Hg Lost
(Millions)
0.0065
0.2614
0.2553
0.6653
0.1137
0.0003
1.3017
%
0.5
20.0
19.6
51.1
8.7
0.0
99.9
•Stamp mills were widely used until World War II, then gradually replaced by ball mills and rod mills after the war. For these periods
on the table, mercury loss has been calculated at stamp mill rate.
"Production data from Hill, 1929; Mineral Resources of the United States (annual USGS publication); and Minerals Yearbook
(annual USBM publication). Gold produced from volcanogenic sulfide ores is not included in these totals.
It is important to note that the use of mercury amalgamation for gold recovery declined significantly between
1890 and 1920, not just in California but nationwide. This decline coincides with the development of the
cyanide process for gold ores and a change in character of gold ores as the lode mines deepened. The
cyanide process reduced or eliminated the need for gold recovery by mercury amalgamation at some mines.
Traditional stamp mill methods did not work well on the deeper, unoxidized ores, and different ore process-
ing methods were often utilized.
Rough estimates of mercury losses due to gold mining activity can be made from available historic informa-
tion on gold production and mercury loss rates for different mining methods. Based upon the amounts of
placer gold produced by different methods and the approximate mercury loss rates for those methods, the
amount of mercury lost from all placer gold mining activity in California is probably about 4.5 million kg.
About 3.3 million kg (71%) of this loss likely occurred between 1859 and 1884, the principal period of
hydraulic mining activity in California. Based on the amount of lode gold ore processed during different
periods and approximate mercury loss rates for those time periods, the amount of mercury lost in milling of
lode gold ore is probably about 1.3 million kg. Roughly 0.5 million kg (40%) were lost during the period
1859-1896 and 0.6 million kg (51%) were lost between 1897-1934. The total amount of all mercury lost to
the California environment from all gold mining activity, the sum of the placer mining and lode mining losses,
is about 5.8 million kg. Probably 80 to 90% of this amount was lost in the Sierra Nevada geomorphic
province. For comparison, the loss of mercury during processing of the Comstock Lode silver ores at
Virginia City, Nevada, has been estimated at 6.75 million kg (Miller and others, 1994).
The estimates presented here put into perspective the magnitude of mercury losses from both ore process-
ing at mercury mine sites and historic gold mining in California. While mercury losses from both activities
were substantial, it is probable that six or seven times more mercury was released in the Coast Ranges from
mercury mining than was released in the Sierra Nevada from former gold mining activities.
References
Bradley, W.W., 1918, Quicksilver Resources of California: California State Mining Bureau Bulletin 78.
Hill, J.M., 1929, Historical Summary of Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, and Zinc Produced in California, 1848 to
1926: USBM Economic Paper 3, 22 p.
Hanks, H.G., 1882, Second Report of the State Mineralogist, Sacramento, pp. 116-118.
Miller, J.R., Rowland, J., Lechler, P.J., and Warwick, J.J., 1994, Geomorphic controls on the distribution of
mercury contaminated sediments, Carson River system, north-central Nevada: in Eos,
Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 75, no. 44, Suppl., 242 p.
Preston, E.B., 1895, California Gold Mill Practices: California State Mining Bureau Bulletin No. 6, 84 p.
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Ransom, F.L., 1921, Quicksilver: in Mineral Resources of the United States, 1918, Part I, Metals, LJSGS,
Washington, pp. 155-156.
Richards, 1906, Ore Dressing, v.2, second edition: The Engineering and Mining Journal, New York, p. 751.
Roush, G.A., 1952, Mercury: in, Kirk, R.E., and Othmer, D.R., eds., Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology,
The Interscience Encyclopedia, Inc., New York, v.8, pp. 868-882.
3.2.2 Importance of Research of Historic Information on Mines in California that
Used or Produced Mercury - Chris T. Higgins (Presenter), California
DOC/DMG and Ronald K. Churchill, DOC/DMG
Introduction
Research of historic information is a necessary but sometimes neglected step in the study of any mine that
produced or used mercury in California. Similar to the sleuthing techniques used by seismologists who
study historic earthquakes and by exploration geologists who investigate old mining districts, this research
often yields key information that can be applied to a range of investigations, from assessment and potential
remediation of a single mine to estimates of statewide production and consumption of mercury (see Section
3.2.1). "Historic" information is defined here as that which documents the physical features and operational
history of a mine. It includes less-traditional resources as well as the standard technical research literature.
Perceptive interpretation and proper use of such information can substantially improve field investigation
and evaluation of these mining areas as sources of on-site and regional chemical hazards.
Purpose
The purpose of this presentation is to summarize the importance, types, sources, and management of
historic information about mercury-related mining, with use of examples from California. It is important that,
although this paper focuses on historic information for California, the same types of information and sources
are generally available to investigators who are studying mercury-related mining elsewhere. Furthermore,
the same types and sources are applicable to the study of mines that produced or used mineral commodities
other than mercury. We emphasize that to properly evaluate and remediate a mine or mining district, inves-
tigators need to know, as well as can be compiled, the history of that mine or district. Evidence we see
today, either in the field or by reviewing only the most recent technical literature, often gives us a distorted or
fragmentary view of historical conditions.
Importance of Historic Information
Research of historic information is important for several reasons. Commonly, documentation prepared
during the 1800s and first half of the 1900s is the only remaining record of mining and ore-processing at
individual mines or mining districts. Field investigations of non-operating mines today may encounter only
ruins of workings and structures, which are commonly obscured by nature's attempt at reclamation. Many
sites have undergone several phases of historical development, with the earlier phases of mining and ore-
processing often partially destroyed or hidden by the later ones.
For design of a project to evaluate and possibly remediate a mine or mining area, there are specific technical
reasons that historic information is important. First is safety in the field. Investigators should know as much
as possible beforehand where physical and chemical hazards may be present. Unstable or obscured mine
workings, hot water and fumarolic vapors, toxic processing chemicals, and high residual concentrations of
mercury in tailings and furnaces have been encountered at given mines in California. Another reason is to
grasp the geographic extent of potential sources of contamination. Finally, to locate, sample, and remediate
specific sites of mercury contamination, historic information on mine production, techniques of ore-process-
ing, and locations of mine workings and surface facilities can significantly help investigators focus limited
field and laboratory funds. In summary, scrutiny of historic information is essential to improve the investiga-
tors' chances of safely and efficiently assessing and solving problems related to mercury contamination
from mining.
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Application of Research to California
Mining of mercury has been extensive in certain parts of California. Mining of gold, along with its use of
mercury for amalgamation in ore-processing, has been even more widespread. This distribution of mining
activity indicates that California has many sites that are candidates for evaluation of mercury contamination.
Correspondingly, there is now and will be a significant need for historic information to evaluate these sites.
Documentation of mining of mercury and its use in recovery of gold in California began in the middle 1800s.
Since then, mining operations associated with mercury have been documented abundantly through numer-
ous media.
General Types of Historic Information
Historic information can be grouped into six major types. These include written documentation, maps,
photographs, artwork, oral documentation, and computer databases.
Written Documentation
When assembled together, historic written descriptions can give a fundamental picture of features, pro-
cesses, and events at a mine. Documents prepared by technical investigators (e.g., geologists, mining
engineers) are typically the first resource consulted. These include such traditional resources as published
and unpublished technical reports by government agencies, mining companies, and consultants; papers in
technical periodicals; theses and dissertations; and textbooks. Nonetheless, for some mines, investigators
may find additional insights (or have to rely heavily on) written observations in less-traditional non-technical
documents such as newspapers, personal journals, summaries of county histories, and promotional guides.
Maps
Maps provide a spatial portrayal of areas and sites that is often not as clearly documented in other media.
For example, maps prepared during mining may show spatial details about mine workings and ore-process-
ing facilities that may not be recorded otherwise. Topographic maps from the USGS are a common starting
point for spatial orientation in a region or at a site, and it is important to note that there can be several
editions and scales of topographic maps that cover a given area. Often, technical reports done by govern-
ment agencies on mining areas have maps that accompany the written document. Other types of maps
include those prepared for Federal Land Surveys and Mineral Surveys, and county assessors' offices. Un-
published mine maps (plan and cross-section) prepared by mining companies or their consultants can be
excellent sources of large-scale detail of workings.
Photographs
Photography (ground and aerial) in many instances has no equal when documenting the history of a mine.
It can quickly give the investigator a grasp of the physical environment at a point in time. Historic photo-
graphs can document locations of workings (shafts, adits, etc.), processing facilities (retorts, mills), disposal
sites (waste dumps, mill tailings, etc.), and the general physical conditions at a mine. In some cases,
photographs may be the only documentation that remains in the historical record to guide investigators in
their assembly of the history of a mine.
Artwork
This category comprises diagrams, sketches, and paintings. A commonly useful portrayal of historic facili-
ties at mines is the technical diagram. Typically, it documents the milling and processing of ore. Flow
diagrams of ore-processing are common in the older literature. Perspective diagrams of furnaces at mer-
cury mines are also common and can give some indication of the efficiency of recovery of mercury at a site.
Finally, sketches and paintings by artists of the historic period occasionally reveal some detail of mining or
milling that is not preserved in any other medium.
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Oral Documentation
People who were part of mercury- or gold-mining operations are often one of the least explored resources of
information about those operations. Although the general use of mercury in gold-mining in California de-
clined significantly by 1920 and was very limited after World War II, mercury-mining in places continued into
the 1970s. Many people who worked at mercury mines are still alive, and personal interviews with these
people can provide details and direct observations of operations at specific mines. Formal interviews about
mines and mining in California have been recorded through oral history programs.
Computer Databases
Many databases are available that contain information on mercury mines and gold mines in California.
Although much of the data have been compiled from the categories of materials described above, some
databases contain field observations and interpretations that are unpublished.
Sources of Historic Information
The standard sources of historic information include government agencies, libraries, museums, word-of-
mouth ("people"), and indirectly, the Internet.
Government Agencies
Federal, state, and local government agencies are major sources of both published and unpublished infor-
mation. The most common sources of information on mercury- and gold-mining in California include the
Division of Mines and Geology of the California Department of Conservation (DOC), the USGS, and the
now-defunct USBM. Since the 1800s or early 1900s, each of these agencies has published extensive serial
collections of technical reports and maps. They have archived many unpublished materials, some of which
are open to outside researchers. One example is an archive of reports and maps on mines, prepared by
field staff of the USBM. All three agencies and the DOC's Office of Mine Reclamation have prepared
computer databases on mines in California. Other Federal agencies with mining information include the
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management. These agencies may have archaeological
field reports on specific mine sites, which could provide clues to the history of a site. The Federal EROS
Data Center maintains extensive aerial photography. Locally, offices of the county recorder and county
assessor maintain documents on mines.
Libraries
Public, university, and government libraries can have a wealth of obscure information contained in such
items as textbooks, summaries of local history, maps, photographs, newspapers, periodicals, mine reports,
and oral histories. For example, the Library of the Division of Mines and Geology has operated continuously
for over 100 years and contains many unpublished maps, consulting reports, and photographs. Several
other research libraries have archives of documents on mercury- and gold-mining, such as the Randol
collection at the Bancroft, which have been donated from various parties. In addition, the Bancroft adminis-
ters an oral history program entitled "Western Mining in the Twentieth Century." Outside California, the
Anaconda Collection at the University of Wyoming has unpublished technical documents on many mines in
California and other states.
Museums
Most counties and regions in California have museums that focus on the cultural development of their local
areas. Some have displays of artifacts, photographs, maps, artwork, and written documents that highlight a
specific mine or mining district. Many are associated with well-established historical societies, which often
publish periodicals and maintain small research libraries.
Word-of-Mouth
The potential benefits of interviewing people who live in or know about the history of a geographic area
should not be underestimated. Local citizens, particularly those who work at libraries and museums, or who
are members of historical societies, often know of people who are knowledgeable of a specific mine. A
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casual conversation sometimes leads to an unexpected trove of information that can fill in gaps in the history
of a mine. For example, descendants of local miners or mine owners may have maps, reports, personal
journals, or photographs that were handed down in the family. In some cases, a person who worked at a
mine may still be alive and can provide valuable first-hand observations and documentation of a mining
operation.
Internet
Although considered here to be an indirect source of historic information that resides in the sources de-
scribed above, the Internet can function as a tool to rapidly locate materials and references, either posted
directly on-line or via indexes. The major research libraries in California are part of a consortium that
contributes information on library holdings to a web page called the Online Archive of California. The Internet
shows promise to save investigators significant amounts of time and funds in the future as more reports,
maps, photographs, and other materials become available on-line.
Management of Research and Use of Historic Information
Successful research and use of historic information rely on three main tasks of management. They include:
1) preparation of a checklist of types and sources of information to be researched, 2) evaluation of the
quality of the information collected, and 3) storage and integration of the information into the project.
Checklist of Information
At the beginning of a project, during its planning, a list of types and sources of historic information should be
prepared. The organization of this list should help guide research of the information in a methodical way.
The tasks of research should be assigned to appropriate members of the team of investigators, with the goal
that any pertinent or significant information obtained during the research will be distributed to other appropri-
ate members in a timely manner.
Quality of Information
All historic information must be evaluated critically for its reliability and accuracy of content. Errors in docu-
mentation and recollection as well as inaccuracies or inconsistencies in representation of information can be
common. For example, features on maps may be incorrectly located, statements in newspapers may be
false or exaggerated, and human memories may be confused about events that occurred long ago. Corre-
spondingly, researchers must be alert to these discrepancies as they weigh the value of information col-
lected. One way to verify quality and accuracy of information is to cross-check the information by determin-
ing if it is consistently portrayed by different sources and media.
Integration of Information
Two issues are important here. First is that, because most projects today involve teams of interdisciplinary
investigators, colleagues must consciously share findings about the spatial and temporal features of a study
area to derive the most value from each member's contribution to the project. Second is that the information
must be physically stored and integrated in a way that allows its most efficient application and effect on the
study. One approach is to incorporate this information as thematic layers into a geographic information
system (GIS) for the project. Assembly of the layers can then give a spatial and temporal portrayal of a mine,
which aids selection of features to be studied.
3.2.3 Mercury Associated with Lode Gold Mining in the Sierra Nevada Region,
California - Roger P. Ashley, USGS
Introduction
The Sierra Nevada region of California is a world-class gold-mining province, having produced about 2800t
of gold since 1848, including about 10001 from lode mines and the rest from placers (Clark, 1970). An
individual district may include as many as several dozen mines, and there are more than 4000 lode gold
mines with recorded production in the region. By modern mining standards, these mines, now mostly
abandoned or inactive, are relatively small (few processed more than 1,000,000 metric tons of ore), and
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high grade (average gold grade about 15 mg/kg). Amalgamation was used universally for gold recovery,
with total loss of mercury to the environment from lode gold mills estimated at about 10OOt (Churchill, 1999a).
The objectives of this study are to determine mercury concentrations in gold ores, mill tailings, waste rock,
and mine and tailings drainage waters, and to evaluate whether historical lode gold mining may contribute
significant amounts of mercury to aquatic systems in the region. The study attempts to characterize amounts
of mercury that may be associated with lode gold deposits and mine wastes. However, it is not comprehen-
sive because data are available only for a relatively small number of mines and districts.
The last major period of gold mining in the Sierra Nevada was in the 1930s, but some mining continues to
the present. Although historical mines are the focus of this study, some recently active mines are included
because they provide access to ores and altered host rocks. Mines active in the last 20 years have utilized
modern methods for milling and management of mining wastes and waters, and amalgamation is no longer
used for gold recovery.
This ongoing project is supported by the USGS Mineral Resources Program, and involves cooperation with
the State of California EPA. The cooperation of numerous property owners is gratefully acknowledged.
Geologic Features of Sierran Gold Deposits
The most prominent features associated with Sierran gold deposits are alteration zones that are usually
lighter in color than the surrounding rocks, and are laced with white quartz-carbonate veins. Hydrothermal
solutions that deposited the gold reacted with the rocks to produce these alteration zones, replacing cal-
cium, magnesium, and iron silicates with carbonate minerals, and adding potassium mica, quartz, and metal
sulfide minerals. The alteration zones are usually tabular, because the thermal waters moved upward along
planar fault zones. Host rocks include slate, greenstone (metamorphosed volcanic rock), serpentinite, and
in a few districts, granite.
Most ore-grade zones are found in the veins, which typically contain a few percent sulfides. Less commonly
the alteration zones contain disseminated ore with as much as 10% sulfides. Native gold with 15% to 20%
silver is the valuable mineral. Gold tellurides occur in a few places. The most common sulfide mineral in the
ores and altered rocks is pyrite (FeS2). Arsenic-bearing minerals are also common, especially arsenopyrite
(FeAsS). Sulfosalt minerals, mainly tetrahedrite, occur in some districts; relatively high mercury values may
accompany sulfosalts. The most common minor sulfide minerals are sphalerite (ZnS), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2),
and galena (PbS). No mercury minerals have been seen or reported.
Ore Processing
Most gold mines in the Sierra used stamp mills to finely crush the ore. Stamp mortars were enclosed in a
battery box lined with amalgam plates; ore, water, and mercury were fed into the battery box. Mercury was
supplied at a rate of 1-3 avoirdupois ounces [28-85 grams (g)] per troy ounce (31 g) of gold to be saved
(Hammond, 1888; Churchill, 1999a). The resulting pulp was spread on outside amalgam plates for further
gold recovery. Sulfides were separated from the pulp by various mechanical and gravity methods, and
concentrates sent to a smelter. Many improvements were made in stamp mill design in California during the
1800s, but before 1890 mercury losses to tailings ranged from 6 gram per ton (g/t) to more than 20 g/t. Loss
was due mainly to "flouring" of mercury (reduction to very small suspended droplets) produced by the batter-
ing action of the stamps (Churchill, 1999a). Use of stamp mills continued until the 1950s. Beginning in the
1890s, as cyanidation was introduced, rod or ball mills were increasingly used for the fine grinding needed,
stamps were used only for coarser crushing, and amalgamation was done mainly on outside plates or in
rotating barrels. By about 1910 mercury loss to tailings at improved mills had been reduced to 2-3 g/t
(Finlay, 1918).
In the 1920s and 1930s tailings from earlier operations, particularly the larger ones, were reprocessed by
cyanidation. If mercury is present in pulp subjected to cyanide leaching, some will dissolve, although not
enough to consume significant cyanide (Dufourcq, 1918). However, whatever mercury is taken into cyanide
solution will precipitate with gold when zinc is added.
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Mercury in Ores, Altered Wall Rocks, and Mill Tailings
The average grade of historical Sierra Nevada gold mines was about 15 mg/kg. Amounts of mercury in ore-
grade materials vary greatly, from less than 0.01 mg/kg to about 40 mg/kg, but ores from individual mining
districts show distinctive ranges of values. Although amounts of mercury in ores are elevated above prob-
able background levels (<0.05 mg/kg), they do not increase notably with increasing gold grade.
Altered wall rocks (<1 mg/kg gold) are an important component of waste-rock dumps. Altered rocks have
less mercury than ores in all districts except the Allegheny district, where the ores have relatively little
mercury. Mercury concentrations in many samples are similar to probable background levels (about 0.02-
0.10 mg/kg; Rose and others, 1979).
High levels of mercury in sulfide concentrates at the Argonaut mine site (Jackson district) show that mercury
is associated with sulfide minerals. Tailings subjected to amalgamation at both the Argonaut and Kennedy
sites (labeled "Hg only") do not have significantly more mercury than tailings that were amalgamated and
later reprocessed using cyanidation (labeled "Hg&Cy"). Mill tailings at the Lava Cap mine, treated only with
cyanide, contain significantly less mercury.
Mercury in Drainage Waters
The Sierran gold ores generally have only a few percent sulfide minerals, and also contain carbonate min-
erals that neutralize acid. Consequently, mine drainage waters and waters that contact mill tailings have
near-neutral pH. Metal-rich acid drainage is rare, occurring only where sulfide-rich ore or sulfide concen-
trates have been stockpiled.
The waters contain subequal molar amounts of carbonate, sulfate, and calcium plus magnesium, as would
be expected where pyrite, the dominant sulfide mineral, is oxidized and the sulfuric acid produced is neutral-
ized by the calcium-magnesium carbonate minerals present. Since mercury is likely associated with sulfide
minerals, mercury concentrations should increase with increasing sulfate. Dissolved Hg (passing a 0.45 \im
filter) generally does increase with increasing sulfate.
Dissolved mercury generally increases with increasing THg, but the percentage of dissolved mercury varies
greatly. The proportion of THg present as methyl mercury is generally less than 1 % but can be much higher.
Conditions for methylation appear favorable where Fe(ll)-saturated suboxic drainage water is oxidized,
precipitating iron oxyhydroxides, especially in wetland areas.
THg exceeded 12 ng/L, the California standard for protection of aquatic life, in 13 of 21 samples from
Argonaut tailings, where amalgamation was used, 3 of 14 samples from Lava Cap tailings, where only
cyanidation was used, and 6 of 21 mine drainage samples.
Preliminary Observations on Impacts of Mercury Associated with Lode Gold Mining in the Sierra Nevada
Naturally-occurring mercury is only weakly to moderately enriched in lode gold ores or altered wall rocks.
Therefore waste-rock piles and drainage from them should not be significant sources of mercury, and mer-
cury levels in mill tailings should mainly reflect mercury added in processing.
Figure 1 shows cumulative lode gold production in California from the Gold Rush to World War II. The
cumulative curve is based on state-wide production figures, but gold from the Sierra Nevada (about 85% of
the total) dominates the picture. Although estimates of the proportion of total production that came from
lodes in the early years are crude, it is reasonable to conclude that about half the lode gold was produced
before 1910, coinciding with the period of relatively high mercury loss to tailings. Although gold grades were
higher in early production (before about 1880), mines generally did not show consistently declining gold
grades with time, so roughly half the gold ore produced was probably processed before 1910. California
required mill tailings to be impounded beginning in 1912. Until then, mills were purposely built near streams
to take advantage of water power, and so that seasonal floods would remove tailings. Consequently most
tailings with relatively high mercury contents were washed away and are now entrained in stream sedi-
ments. Although these sediments should contain much of the roughly 1000 metric tons of mercury used in
lode mining, mining of placers in the region, especially by hydraulic mining methods, may have contributed
far more mercury to the Sierra river systems (Churchill, 1999b).
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Lode gold mill tailings remaining in the Sierra (about 35-40 million metric tons), impounded mainly in the
larger mining districts, should generally have relatively low average concentrations of mercury (<3 mg/kg).
Although drainage from mine openings and tailings piles may show elevated THg levels (>100 ng/L), dis-
charges from individual sources of these types in the Sierra Nevada region tend to be small (<500 liters per
minute (L/min)), producing loadings substantially less than 1 kilogram per year (kg/yr).
Hazardous conditions may exist at historic mine sites owing to use of mercury in past gold milling opera-
tions. Since amalgam was usually retorted to recover mercury for prompt reuse, areas around sites of
retorts are likely to have mercury contamination in soils and structures. The cyanide process does not
remove much natural or previously added mercury, but since mercury is efficiently removed when gold is
precipitated with zinc, mercury contamination could also be found around sites of refining furnaces.
CUMULATIVE LODE GOLD PRODUCTION 1848-1956
TOO
1640
196C
References and Data Sources
Bohlke, J.K.F.P., 1986, Local wall rock control of alteration and mineralization reactions along discordant
gold quartz veins, Alleghany, California: PhD dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, 308 p.
Chaffee, M.A., and Sutley, S.J., 1994, Analytical results, mineralogical data, and distributions of anomalies
for elements and minerals in three Mother Lode-type gold deposits, Hodson mining district, Calaveras
County, California: USGS Open-File Report 94-640, 216 p.
Churchill, R.K., 1999a, Mercury losses from milling lode gold ores in California: Geological Society of America
Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, no. 6, p. A-45.
Churchill, R.K., 1999b, Insights into California mercury production and mercury availability for the gold
mining industry from the historical record: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs,
v. 31, no. 6, p. A-45.
Clark, W.B., 1970, Gold districts of California: California Division of Mines and Geology Bulletin 193, 186 p.
Dames & Moore, 1995, Final environmental assessment, Kennedy mine tailings site, Jackson, CA, v. 1:
unpub. report for Oro de Amador, Inc., 61 p.
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Dufourcq, E.L., 1918, Gold amalgamation and cyanidation, Section 33 in Peele, Robert, ed., Mining
Engineers Handbook, 1st Ed.: John Wiley & Sons, New York, p. 1809-1841.
Finlay, J.R., 1918, Cost of mining, Section 21 in Peele, Robert, ed., Mining Engineers Handbook, 1st Ed.:
John Wiley & Sons, New York, p. 1282-1355.
Hammond, J.H., 1888, The milling of gold ores in California: California Min. Bur. 8th Ann. Rpt., p. 696-735.
Nash, J.T., 1988, Geology and geochemistry of gold deposits of the Big Canyon area, El Dorado County,
California: USGS Bulletin 1854, 40 p.
Rose, A.W., Hawkes, H.E., and Webb, J.S., 1979, Geochemistry in mineral exploration, 2nd ed.: Academic
Press, New York, 635 p.
3.2.4 Mercury Recycling Pilot Project (MRPP) - Richard Humphreys, State Water
Resources Control Board
Introduction
Mercury has been widely used since the dawn of recorded history, first for precious metal extraction and
later for industry and medicine despite its acute and chronic toxicity. Mercury also has the insidious ability to
bioaccurnulate and biomagnify up the foodchain. Thus, as adverse health affects from ingesting small
amounts of mercury in food became a concern, concerted efforts are being made to find substitutes for
mercury, lower mercury discharges from industry, and collect mercury stored by society. Prior mercury
collection programs have been aimed at mercury-filled devices such as thermometers, mercury switches,
and fluorescent tubes.
During California's Gold Rush, gold miners used large amounts of mercury (est. 20 million pounds) and lost
most of it to the environment. Mercury is still found, sometimes in substantial amounts, in watersheds
subjected to gold mining. In 1994, State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and Regional Water
Quality Control Board (RWQCB) staff conceived a pilot project to collect mercury from today's recreational
gold miners (suction dredgers) who recover mercury along with gold from California's rivers and streams.
The need for such a program resulted from an unconfirmed report that the Department of Toxic Substance
Control (DTSC) had fined a suction dredger for turning in more mercury than regulations governing storage
and transport of mercury by an individual allowed. The pilot project's objectives were to: provide an way for
suction dredgers to discard unwanted mercury easily in an environmentally sound manner; and, to encour-
age suction dredgers to remove mercury from California's rivers and streams.
During August and September of this year, State and Federal agency staff finally initiated a pilot project to
collect mercury from suction dredgers in Nevada, Sierra, and Placer Counties. As a follow up, Nevada
County agreed to collect mercury at their September 23, 2000 household hazardous waste collection event.
The following describes the pilot project's results and a followup, larger-scale mercury collection pilot project.
Mercury Recycling Pilot Project
Although there was interest in the pilot project in 1994, concerns about agency liability prevented its initia-
tion in 1994 or in the intervening years. With the change in California's Administration in 1998 came a new
interest in pursuing projects viewed as "proactive." Thus, the climate within State agencies became favor-
able for reconsidering the original mercury recycling pilot project. The USFS and Bureau of Land Manage-
ment (BLM) were also interested in assisting with a mercury recycling project because it fit their abandoned
mined lands initiative goals. Thus, earlier this year, the SWRCB, USFS, BLM, DTSC, DOC, Nevada County
and the USEPA formed an informal partnership to enact a mercury recycling pilot project aimed at suction
dredgers. Enacting such a program meant: resolving legal and regulatory concerns; developing a plan for
handling, transporting, and shipping mercury to an end destination; and training staff.
SWRCB staff developed a health and safety plan for collecting mercury and that plan served as the techni-
cal basis for the variance DTSC granted to the participating agencies in August. The SWRCB health and
safety unit provided training, and the SWRCB, USEPA, USFS and BLM provided staff and supplied equip-
ment for the first collection phase, the "House Call" component, which began August 8, 2000.
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Under the "House Call" component, two mercury pickup teams (comprised of SWRCB, USFS, BLM, and
USEPA staff) made telephone-arranged visits to pick up mercury from private citizens. Additionally, the
USFS/SWRCB team made spot visits to suction dredger camps along the Yuba River (Middle and North
Forks) and Kanaka Creek. Pickups began August 8, 2000 and continued through September, during which
the teams collected about 220 pounds of mercury.
As a followup to the "House Call" collection component, Nevada County collected mercury at its "household
hazardous waste collection day" on September 23, 2000. State and Federal agencies agreed to assist
Nevada County with additional cost that collecting mercury would entail. DOC and SWRCB staff inter-
viewed several mercury donors at this event. Nevada County staff verbally reported that they collected
about 30 pounds of mercury during the event.
Pilot Project Summary
Mercury Donors
Most of the mercury collected had been used for gold mining long ago (3 donors accounted for about 180
pounds). It had not been removed from streams by dredgers. Most donors were relatively old people (or
their immediate heirs) who had acquired the mercury when it had a high value as a commodity (50 to 30
years ago) and did not pose the disposal problems that it does now. These donors usually donated 1 to 5
pounds of mercury. These donors had related stories about their unsuccessful efforts to discard mercury
properly, and of "being interrogated" and "made to feel like a criminal" when they called County or State
agency staff about discarding mercury in the past. Most donors knew that mercury was poisonous but had
a poor understanding of its specific toxicity. These donors thought that a long-term, locally based disposal
program for mercury would be successful.
Curiously, suction dredgers did not donate much mercury. During spot visits to dredger camps, some dredg-
ers even asked if collection teams had mercury to sell. At this time it is unclear why suction dredgers did not
participate although unannounced spot visits during the dredging season might be too intimidating. Better
results might be had with telephone-arranged pickups at both the beginning and end of the season. Nevada
County staff thought that suction dredgers might be better served by a "remote mercury collection pilot
project" (patterned after an existing waste oil program). Participation by suction dredgers is important be-
cause:
Their alleged predicament provided the impetus for developing and initiating the pilot project.
They are the only group that would benefit from a long-term collection program, as they are the only
group that accumulates mercury as a result of their activities.
Their participation would result in an overall reduction of mercury in California's rivers and streams.
What Worked and What We Learned
Publicity helps - The participating State and Federal agencies held a public meeting on June 26,
2000 to announce that a mercury pickup service would be offered later during the summer once the
legal wrinkles were ironed out. The local media carried the announcement and potential mercury
donors began calling State and Federal staff contacts within days. Additional press coverage and
hence, public interest resulted from the USFS press release which reported that the USFS/SWRCB
mercury collection team collected 140 pounds of mercury during the first day.
Telephone-arranged "House Calls" are effective - Telephone-arranged visits worked well as
opposed to spot visits to dredger camps which did not work at all. There are probably profound
sociological reasons for this but they won't be discussed here.
An initial "House Call" component would certainly be applicable in the "Mother Lode" counties where
gold mining was once a major industry, and where many retirees now reside. Additionally, a "House
Call" component has the potential to develop support for a sustained collection program by the local
residents.
Nevada County officials felt that the "Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event" was a
success. The 30 pounds of mercury collected are roughly equivalent to the amount contained in
130 thousand thermometers.
Collection efforts identified a new mercury donor group (older people) which may not be limited to a
particular region.
48
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The total amount of mercury collected during the pilot project (250 pounds) is roughly equivalent to
the amount contained in about 1 million thermometers.
Followup Efforts: Large-scale Pilot Project
Because the newly identified mercury donor group (older people) may not be limited regionally, the pilot
project participants are planning a larger-scale mercury collection pilot project that would target the newly
identified and potentially larger mercury donor group as well as suction dredgers. The larger-scale pilot
project would include a mix of rural and urban counties centered in the Sacramento region, would run for at
least three years, and would be patterned after the pilot efforts described above. A successful larger-scale
pilot project would justify a statewide, county-based collection program because it would show that older
people had a substantial stock of mercury regardless of where they reside. Additionally, the longer term of
an expanded pilot project would give the original target group another chance to participate (and we really
want them to participate).
Acknowledgments
This pilot project would never have been initiated if had not been for the perseverance of State and Federal
agency personnel. I want to thank Bill Croyle of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board for
his contribution in conceiving the project in 1994. Art Baggett (State Water Resources Control Board Mem-
ber), Janine Clayton (USFS), Richard Grabowski (BLM), and David Jones (USEPA) all deserve credit for
providing high level support. Lee Halverson (DTSC) deserves credit for writing an "air tight" variance. Rick
Weaver (Tahoe National Forest), David Lawler (BLM), and David Jones all deserve credit for collecting over
200 pounds of mercury without spilling a drop.
3.2.5 Historic Gold Mining, Mercury Amalgamation, and Potential for Environmental
Impacts in the Eastern U.S. - Robert R. Seal II, USGS
Introduction
The eastern U.S. has had a long and colorful history of gold mining, and mercury amalgamation has played
an important role throughout much of this history. The first mention of gold in the U.S. is associated with
Spanish and French explorers in North Carolina and Georgia in the mid-16th century (Craig and Rimstidt,
1998). Discovery of a 7.7 kg gold nugget in North Carolina in 1799 initiated the first gold rush in the U.S.
Commercial production began in 1804 in North Carolina and has continued intermittently in the eastern U.S.
until 2000. The discovery of gold in the Dahlonega region of northwestern Georgia in 1829 started the
second gold rush in U.S. history; historians have given these miners the name "Twenty-niners" (Williams,
1993). The discovery of gold in the southeast led the U.S. Treasury to establish mints in Dahlonega, Geor-
gia and Charlotte, North Carolina in 1838 (Pardee and Park, 1948). The Georgia gold rush provided a major
impetus that led to the expulsion of the Cherokee Indians from the eastern U.S. to Oklahoma along the "Trail
of Tears." The Haile mine in South Carolina was a strategic target for the Union forces during the Civil War
because of its importance to the Confederate treasury (Speer and Maddry 1993).
Gold production in the eastern U.S. has come from quartz-gold vein and disseminated to massive sulfide
deposits, their weathered equivalents, and from placer deposits. From 1804 to the present, eastern states
have yielded approximately 3.4 million troy ounces of gold, with approximately half produced since 1988.
Mercury amalgamation has had a central role in much of the gold mining in the east prior to 1940. The very
nature of mercury amalgamation, its inexpensiveness, its portability, and its ease of use, makes its use
difficult to track in a comprehensive fashion. The first documented use of amalgamation was in 1803 in
North Carolina (Pardee and Park, 1948). The use of amalgamation has also been recorded extensively in
Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, but the time intervals and extent of use throughout the
region are poorly documented.
The use of amalgamation also spans several generations of mining activity in the east. For example, early
production in the Dahlonega belt (Georgia) used a variety of gravity methods, many of which employed
mercury, to extract gold, initially from placer ores, and then later from milled ores for shallow lode deposits
(Pardee and Park, 1948; Craig and Rimstidt, 1998). Miners left the Dahlonega gold belt as easily exploited
placer and shallow lode ores dwindled at the beginning of the California Gold Rush (1849). They returned
again after the Civil War to begin hydraulic mining of saprolitic ores using techniques learned in the Califor-
49
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nia gold fields; the technique became known as the "Dahlonega method" (Pardee and Park, 1948; Williams,
1993). The hydraulic mining also used amalgamation as a prime gold extraction technique. Hydraulic
mining of saprolitic ores was also used in North Carolina (Pardee and Park, 1948).
The purpose of this paper is to summarize the current state of understanding of the environmental impact of
mercury associated with historic gold mining in the eastern U.S. This summary includes an overview of
historic gold mining in the east and the known usage of mercury in gold extraction, a review of published
studies pertaining to the impact of mining-related mercury on the environment, and a discussion of the
potential extent of mining-related mercury contamination in the east and its comparison to contamination
elsewhere.
Distribution of Gold Mines and the Use of Mercury Amalgamation and Other Techniques
Nearly 1,200 gold mines or prospects are known in the east, with the majority (96%) occurring in Virginia,
North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama (Figure 1; McFaul and others, 2000). Beyond the south-
ern states, significant primary production of gold has only come from Michigan (202,600 oz) and Vermont
(9,800 oz; Craig and Rimstidt, 1998). In the eastern U.S., the main historic gold districts or belts include,
from north to south: (1) the Virginia gold-pyrite belt; (2) the Carolina slate belt (including the Eastern slate
belt district), North and South Carolina; (3) the Dahlonega district (and extensions into northeastern Ala-
bama), Georgia; and (4) the Hog Mountain district, Alabama (Feiss and Slack, 1989). The mines in these
districts exploited low-sulfide gold-quartz vein (a.k.a. mesothermal, Mother Lode-type, shear zone-hosted)
deposits, gold-bearing massive sulfide deposits, their weathered equivalents, and placer deposits derived
from all of the above deposit types. Of these deposit types, both the unweathered and weathered low-
sulfide gold-quartz vein deposits, including saprolitic ores, the weathered massive sulfide deposits, and the
placer deposits were readily amenable to mercury amalgamation.
Historic GoM
of the Eastern United
Greenwood
Mine
QoW-Pynte Belt
Figure 1. Location of historic gold mines and major gold-mining districts in the eastern U.S.
50
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Mercury amalgamation has been used historically in all of the main districts and belts listed above. At
present, documented use of amalgamation has been identified at nearly 50 sites, which is considered to
represent a mere indication of the wide extent of its use, in light of the poor availability of historical records
(Pardee and Park, 1948; Yeates and others, 1896; Sweet, 1980; Sweet and Trimble, 1983; Silliman, 1837;
Smith, 1903; Watson, 1907; Seal and others, 1998a,b; 1999). For example, historical and recent accounts
of mining practices in the Dahlonega belt suggest the common usage of amalgamation throughout the
region, in spite of only 16 references of use identified in the literature (Yeates and others, 1896; Williams,
1993). Atypical progression of mining in the Dahlonega belt started with placer mining, followed by hydrau-
lic mining of saprolitic ores, the so called "Dahlonega method;" when hydraulic mining reached bedrock,
underground mining began (Yeates and others, 1896; Pardee and Park, 1948; Williams, 1993). For all three
phases of mining, amalgamation was commonly used, frequently in concert with other methods, such as
chlorination (Yeates and others, 1896). At the Haile mine, South Carolina, the Designolle process, which
employs a mercuric chloride solution, was tested on the ores in addition to traditional amalgamation (Pardee
and Park, 1948). Throughout the eastern U.S., anecdotal evidence from recreational gold panners sug-
gests near-ubiquitous usage of mercury amalgamation in many of these districts.
Geochemical Studies of Mercury in the Environment Related to Historic Gold Mining
Geochemical studies of the environmental impact of mercury related to historic mining in the eastern U.S.
are limited in both number and scope and are summarized in Table 1. Studies have been conducted in
Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Nova Scotia, Canada. Media investigated include water,
stream and flood-plain sediments, panned concentrates, gold nuggets, mine tailings, moss, and fish tissue.
Maximum concentrations for all media are summarized in Table 2.
Table 1. Published Studies on Environmental Mercury Geochemistry Related to Historic Gold Mining in the Eastern U.S. and Canada
Location
Greenwood mine
Virginia gold-pyrite belt
Dahlonega belt, Georgia
Dahlonega belt, Georgia
Carolina slate belt, North Carolina
Arbacoochee district, Alabama
Talladega Creek, Alabama
Carolina slate belt, North Carolina
Goldenville, Nova Scotia,
Canada
••;:, • //•"-.• --.Scope
Water chemistry
Mercury speciation (MeHg, THg)
Floodplain sediment
geochemistry
Water chemistry (THg)
Water chemistry (THg)
Water chemistry (THg)
Sediment geochemistry
Panned concentrate
geochemistry
Gold nugget geochemistry
Water chemistry (THg)
Sediment geochemistry
Panned concentrate
geochemistry
Gold Nugget geochemistry
Vegetation Geochemistry
Fish tissue geochemistry (THg)
Tailings geochemistry
Sediment geochemistry
Vegetation geochemistry
Water chemistry (THg)
Source
Seal and others (1998a)
Seal and others (1998b)
Seal and others (1999)
Leigh (1994)
Mastrine and others (1999)
Miller and others (1997)
Callahan and others (1994)
Wong and others (1999)
51
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Table 2. Maximum Concentration of Mercury in Various Media from the Eastern U.S.
Media
Water-Hg Total
Water-Me Hg
Stream sediments
Flood-plain sediments
Panned Concentrates
Gold nuggets
Plant (moss) tissue
Fish tissue
Location
Dahlonega belt, GA
Greenwood mine, VA
High Point, NC
Dahlonega belt, GA
Bobbins, NC
Bobbins, NC
High Point, NC
High Point, NC
Concentration
1 ,420 ng/L
34.6 ng/L
7,400 mg/kg
3,900 mg/kg
784,000 mg/kg
45.36 mass %
4,900 mg/kg
1 50 mg/kg
Reference
Leigh (1994)
Seal and others (1998a)
Seal and others (1998b)
Seal and others (1999)
Callahan and others
(1994)
Leigh (1994)
Callahan and others
(1994)
Callahan and others
(1994)
Callahan and others
(1994)
Callahan and others
(1994)
Studies of mercury speciation in surface waters in and around the abandoned Greenwood mine, a low-
sulfide gold-quartz vein deposit, in the Virginia gold-pyrite belt illustrate the potential for extreme geochemi-
cal environments in eastern settings (Figure 1; Seal and others, 1998a,b; 1999). The mine site is at the
headwaters of Quantico Creek which empties into the Potomac River (Figure 2). Surface waters around the
abandoned Greenwood mine were sampled and analyzed for their major and minor constituents including
mercury speciation. The waters include samples within shaft depressions, and both upstream and down-
stream from the site. The waters from the shaft depressions display anomalously high dissolved concentra-
tions of MeHg. Ratios of MeHg to THg in the dissolved fraction (up to 0.89) are also anomalous (Figure 3).
The geological and geochemical environment in shaft depressions at the Greenwood mine favors the me-
thylation, but not the demethylation of mercury. Water in the shaft depressions is characterized by stagnant,
near-neutral pH (6.3 to 6.7), low total dissolved solids (< 160 milligrams per liter (mg/L)), low redox potential
(D.O. < 1.3 mg/L), abundant organic matter, and moderate dissolved sulfate concentrations (2.5 to 16.0 mg/
L). These conditions stimulate sulfate-reducing bacteria, which are the principal methylators of mercury
under anoxic conditions (Compeau and Bartha, 1985). Demethylation is not favored because of anoxia and
insufficient mercury and other heavy metals to induce gene transcription in microbes to detoxify MeHg
(Robinson and Tuovinen, 1984). Dissolved mercury levels are depressed because the shaft waters are
saturated with respect to cinnabar; low levels of other heavy metals are characteristic of low-sulfide gold-
quartz vein deposits (Ashley, in press). Within the watershed, the percentage of MeHg rapidly decreases
downstream of the shaft depressions. Dilution effectively decreases the total concentration of THg and
MeHg at less than 10 km from the mine site.
Compared to mining districts in California (Ashley, in press), the waters in and around the Greenwood mine
are characterized as having higher THg concentrations than waters of similar sulfate concentrations (Figure
4a). The percentage of dissolved mercury to THg is similar to ranges reported for waters from gold districts
in California (Figure 4b). However, the percentage of MeHg relative to THg in unfiltered waters exceeds that
observed in waters from mining districts in California by up to an order of magnitude (Figure 4c). The
anomalous character of the mercury geochemistry of the Greenwood site can be attributed to the environ-
mental setting, particularly features such deciduous vegetative cover, which provides abundant organic
matter as leaf litter in the shaft depressions, and low topographic relief, which enhances stagnation of water.
Ongoing studies are focusing on defining the full areal extent of mercury contamination at the Greenwood
site, and investigating the bioaccumulation of mercury in the foodweb within the watershed.
Discussion
The eastern U.S. has had a long history of gold mining, much of which used mercury amalgamation as a
primary ore processing technique. Published records indicate that amalgamation was used in every major
gold district or belt in the east. However, the published record undoubtedly fails to reflect the full historic
52
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extent of the use of this ore beneficiation technology. Nevertheless, mercury was used, and the limited
number of investigations on mercury contamination related to mining indicates that it is making a negative
impact on the environment. The single study of mercury speciation in mine waters in the eastern U.S. (Seal
and others, 1998a,b; 1999) documents anomalous concentrations of MeHg, which can be attributed to
specific features of the setting. These features, such as a dense, deciduous vegetative cover, a result of
substantial rainfall, and low topographic relief, are characteristic of the southeastern U.S., but are in contrast
to conditions in many parts of the historic gold mining regions of California. An unanswered question is
whether the contrasts in environmental setting between the southeastern U.S. and the Mother Lode belt of
California are sufficient to cause anomalous mercury speciation throughout the eastern U.S. This question
can only be answered through regional scale studies of mercury contamination in historic, eastern gold
mining districts. From a policy perspective, the magnitude and scope of such studies should be weighed
against the potential scale of the problem. The southeastern U.S. (Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina,
North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland) only produced approximately 3% of the gold mined
in California. However, the area (237,000 square miles) and population (36,260,000) of this region are
greater than the area (156,000 square miles) and population (33,145,000) of California.
Figure 2. Map of the abandoned Greenwood mine area, Prince William Forest
Park, Virginia.
53
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LOT
Hg Total ag-L-1
Figure 3. Relationship of dissolved MeHg/THg ratio for surface waters at the abandoned Greenwood gold mine and other surface
waters reported in the literature. Lake data include lakes in Finland (Verta and others, 1994), Wisconsin (Watras and others, 1994),
and New York (Bloom and Effler, 1990). Carson River, Nevada data are from Bonzongo and others (1996).
I i*
I '
a,t
Hgt^t (unfiltwed!
Mg/t
0 ta
uae, CA
US/I
Figure 4. Comparison of mercury speciation and other hydrochemical data from the Greenwood mine with data from other
abandoned gold mines (Ashley, 2000). a. THg (filtered) vs. SO4; b. THg (filtered) vs. THg (unfiltered); c. MeHg (unfiltered) vs. THg
(unfiltered).
54
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References
Ashley, R.P., 2000, Geoenvironmental model for low-sulfide gold-quartz veins, in, R.R. Seal, II, and N.K.
Foley, eds., Progress on Geoenvironmental Models for Selected Mineral Deposit Types: USGS
Open-File Report 00-XXX, in press.
Bloom, N.S., and Effler, S.W., 1990, Seasonal variability in the mercury speciation of Onondaga Lake (New
York: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 53, p. 251-265.
Bonzongo, J.C., Heim, K.J., Warwick, J.J., and Lyons, W.B., 1996, Mercury levels in surface waters of the
Carson River-Lahontan Reservoir system, Nevada: Influence of historic mining activities: Environ-
mental Pollution, v. 92, p. 193-201.
Callahan, J.E., Miller, J.W., and Craig, J.R., 1994, Mercury pollution as a result of gold extraction in North
Carolina, U.S.A.: Applied Geochemistry, v. 9, p. 235-241.
Compeau, G.C., and Bartha, R., 1985, Sulfate-reducing bacteria: principal methylators of mercury in anoxic
estuarine sediment: Applied and Environmental Microbiology, v. 50, p. 498-502.
Craig, J.R., and Rimstidt, J.D., 1998, Gold production history of the United States: Ore Geology Reviews, v.
13, p. 407-464.
Feiss, P.G., and Slack, J.F., 1989, Mineral deposits of the U.S. Appalachians: The Geology of North America:
Geological Society of America, DNAG Vol F-2: 471-494.
Leigh, D.S. (1994) Mercury contamination and floodplain sedimentation from former gold mines in north
Georgia: Water Resources Bulletin, v. 30, p. 739-748.
Mastrine, J.A., Bonzongo, J.-C.J., Lyons, W.B., 1999, Mercury concentrations in surface waters from fluvial
systems draining historical precious metals mining areas in southern U.S.A.: Applied Geochemistry,
v. 14, p. 147-158.
McFaul, E.J., Mason G.T., Jr,, Ferguson, W.B., and Lipin, B.R., 2000, USGS Mineral Databases - MRDS
and MAS/MILS: USGS Digital Data Series DDS-52.
Miller, J.W., Callahan, J.E., Hattersley, D.J., and Craig, J.R., 1997, Impact of recreational suction dredging
on mobilization of anthropogenic mercury in gold placers: Southeastern Geology, v. 37, p. 109-114.
Pardee, J.T., and Park, C.F., Jr., 1948, Gold deposits of the southern Piedmont: USGS Professional Paper
213, 156 p.
Robinson, J.B., and Tuovinen, O.H., 1984, Mechanisms of microbial resistance and detoxification of
mercury and organomercury compounds: physiological, biochemical, and genetic analyses:
Microbiology Reviews, v. 48, p. 95-124.
Seal, R.R. II, Haffner, D.P., and Meier, A.L., 1998a, Environmental characteristics of the abandoned Green-
wood mine area, Prince William Forest Park, Virginia: Implications for mercury geochemistry: USGS
Open-File Report 98-326, 19 p.
Seal, R.R. II, Haffner, D.P., and Meier, A.L., 1998b, Geochemical data including mercury speciation for
surface waters at the abandoned Greenwood mine area, Prince William Forest Park, Virginia: USGS
Open-File Report 98-756, 14 p.
Seal, R.R. II, Haffner, D.P., and Meier, A.L., 1999, Methylmercury in surface waters around an abandoned
gold prospect in the Virginia gold-pyrite belt, northern Virginia: Geological Society of America
Abstracts with Program, v. 31, p. 66.
Silliman B., 1837, Remarks on the gold mines and on parts of the gold region of Virginia: American Journal
of Science.
55
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Smith G.O., 1903, Quartz veins in Maine and Vermont: USGS Bulletin 225, p. 81-88.
Speer, W.E., and Maddry J.W., 1993, Geology and recent discoveries at the Haile gold mine, Lancaster
County, South Carolina: South Carolina Geology, v. 35, p. 9-26.
Sweet, P.C., 1980, Processes of gold recovery in Virginia: Virginia Minerals, v. 26, p. 29-33.
Sweet, P.C., and Trimble, D., 1983, Virginia gold-resource data: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources
Publication 45, 196 p.
Verta, M., Matilainen, P., Porvari, P., Niemi, M., Uusi-Rauva, A., and Bloom, N.S. 1994, Methylmercury
sources in boreal lake ecosystems, in Mercury Pollution: Integration and Synthesis, Watras, C.J.,
and Huckabee, J.W., eds., Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, Ml, p. 119-136.
Watras, C.J., Bloom, N.S., Hudson, R.J.M., Gherini, S., Munson, R., Claas, S.A., Morrison, K.A., Hurley, J.,
Wiener, J.G., Fitzgerald, W.F., Mason, R., Vandal, G., Powell, D., Rada, R., Rislov, L., Winfrey, M.,
Elder, J., Krabbenhoft, D., Andren, A.W., Babiarz, C., Porcella, D.B., and Huckabee, J.W., 1994,
Sources and fates of mercury and methylmercury in Wisconsin lakes, in Mercury Pollution: Integra-
tion and Synthesis, Watras, C.J., and Huckabee, J.W., eds., Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, Ml, p.
153-177.
Watson, T.L., 1907, Mineral resources of Virginia: Virginia Jamestown Exposition Commission, J.P. Bell
Company, Lynchburg, Virginia, 618 p.
Williams, D., 1993, The Georgia gold rush: Twenty-niners, Cherokees, and gold fever: University of South
Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, 178 p.
Wong, H.K.T., Gauthier, A., and Nriagu, J.O., 1999, Dispersion and toxicity of metals from abandoned gold
mine tailings at Goldenville, Nova Scotia, Canada: The Science of the Total Environment, v. 228, p.
35-47.
Yeates, W.S., McCallie, S.W., and King, P.P., 1896, A preliminary report on a part of the gold deposits of
Georgia: Geological Survey of Georgia Bulletin 4A, 542 p.
3.2.6 Characterizing Mercury in the Comstock Lode: Macro to Micro Techniques -
Patrick Ritter, Ecology and Environment, Inc.
Overview
During the late 1800s, the silver rush brought a horde of miners to western Nevada. It also brought an
enormous amount of mercury. From the discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1859, to approximately 1900,
gold and silver was separated from the ore by a process that involved amalgamation with mercury. Large
quantities of mercury were imported to the Virginia City area of Nevada (Figure 1) and a substantial amount
was lost during ore processing. Over 100 former mill sites have been identified in the Virginia City area.
Mercury-laden tailings were spread into surficial soils near most of these mill sites. Also, an estimated 14
million pounds of mercury was released into a 70-mile stretch of the Carson River, forming deposits in the
river bottom and banks, floodplains, reservoirs, and wetlands.
56
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Figure 1. Location map.
Because of the widespread occurrence of mercury and elevated levels measured in sediments and biota, in
August 1990, the USEPA designated the Carson River area the first Superfund site in Nevada. Ecology and
Environment, Inc. (E & E), in consort with the EPA and other subcontractors, conducted a comprehensive
characterization of mercury in soils; sediments; air; groundwater; surfacewater; vegetation; edible produce,
fish and waterfowl; and terrestrial and aquatic biota as part of the Carson River Superfund project. To
characterize mercury in such a vast area, that involved so many different media, a number of macro and
micro characterization techniques were used, as summarized in Table 1.
57
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Table 1. Characterization Methods - Carson River Mercury Site
l\!w»a
Soil: Primary Sources
- Initial reconnaissance
- Source areas
- Residential soils
Soil: Secondary Sources
- Alluvial fans
- Reservoirs/ lakes
- Floodplains
Soil: Subsurface
Soil: Other characteristics
- Mercury species
- Physical characteristics
- Precious metal content
Soils: Exacavated
Indoor Air
- UUSl
- Vapor
Outdoor Air
- Hi ict
- Vapor
Groundwater
- Domestic supply walls
Edible Produce
- Gardens, orchards,
- Bullrush roots
Edible Fish
Edible Waterfowl
Analysts
Hg(T), Trace Metals
Hg(T), Pb, As
Hg(T)
Hg(T), Trace metals
Hg(T), Trace metals
Hg(T), Trace metals
Hg(T), Trace metals
Hg(T), Trace metals
Hg(T)
Mercuric chlorid/sulfide
Elementary mercury
(analytical lab & centrifuge
methods)
Density, particle size, etc.
Gold and silver assays
Hg(T), TCLP (Hg, metals)
Hg(0)
Hg(T)
Hg(0)
Hg(T)
Hg(0)
Hg(T), As, Pb
Hg(T)
Hg(T)
Hg(T)
Hg(T)
Objective
Identify COPCs, locate
source areas
Highest source
contribution
HHTA (mean & 95% UCL)
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
Migration potential
HHRA uptake potential
HHRA uptake potential
Remedial design
Recovery potential
Disposal profiling
Disposal profiling
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
Worker/Community health
& safety
Worker/Community health
& safety
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
HHRA exposure point
concentration
Sampling Method
CRF & biased grab
Biased grab
Stratified random
Transects across streams
Grab at beach use areas
Transects perpendicular to
flow
Representative bank
stratigraphy
Stratified random at
subareas
Hand Digging'/ Power
Augur/ Backhoe
Representative grab
Representative grab
Representative tailings
samples
Representative tailings
samples
Stratified random grid
Visual observations,
panning methods
NIOSH 8hr absorbent tube
Jerome 41 1
NIOSH 6009 Low Flow;
TSP/PM10
Jerome 41 1
Domestic wells & tapwater
Roots, leaves, fruits, &
root soil, Roots & soil
Muscle tissue: walleye,
white bass
Muscle tissue: game
ducks
58
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Media
Surface
-Carson River reaches
- Lahontan Reservoir
- Background reservoirs
Surfacewater
Characteristics
Sediment
- Carson River pools
- Lahontan Reservoir
- Sediment porewater
- Background reservoirs
Aquatic Biota
-Zooplankton
- Benthic
macroinvertebrates
- Aquatic Insects
-Fish
Terrestrial Biota
-Birds (blood, feathers,
eggs, & livers)
- Lizards
Fish Stress Assessment
Habitat Characterization
Analysis
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
General chemistry,
nutrients, Hg(species),
trace metals
Hg(T), Hg (species)
Hg(T), Hg (species)
Hg(T), Hg (species)
Hg(T), Hg (species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Ultra Clean Hg(T), Hg
(species)
Condition factor analysis
Water chemistry,
substrate
characteristics, taxa
counts
Olitfi!¥&
Mercury forms/
transformations, ERA
Mercury forms/
transformations, ERA
Mercury forms/
transformations, ERA
Identify other stressors, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Mercury
forms/transformations, ERA
Effects re: fish physiology and
growth
Identify sensitive species
habitats
Observed vs. predicted
effects to habitats
:^|^^piw;..-
Near-surface grab
Near-surface grab
Near-surface grab
Near-surface grab
Representative grab
Sediment traps, grab, &
Ekman dredge
Near-shore grab & Ekman
dredge
Near-shore grab & Ekman
dredge
Zooplankton nets
(300 micron mesh)
Kick nets
Nets
Gill nets, seining,
electroshocking
Mist nets (swallows,
cormorants, juvenile
herons, & egrets)
Noose and line
Physiological
examinations
Rapid Bioassessment
Protocol 2
Hg(T) Total mercury concentration
Hg(species) Methyl, dimethyl, ionic, & gaseous elemental mercury
HHRA Human Health Risk Assessment
ERA Ecological Risk Assessment
TCLP Toxic Characteristics Leaching Procedure
UCL Upper confidence limit
COPC Constituent of potential concern
Hg(O) Elemental mercury
Fish Walleye, Sacramento, Blackfish, Carp, Tahoe & Mountain,
Suckers, and Green Sunfish
59
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Source Identification
Former millsites, tailings piles, impoundments, millrace ditches, flumes, and other potential mercury source
areas were identified based on existing historic and scientific records. This identification included the follow-
ing macro-scale investigations:
Aerial Overflight/Ground Truthing: Produce aerial photographs (1:12,000) and identify source
features (e.g., tailing piles, impoundments)
Remote Sensing Survey: Locate alluvial fan deposits
Historic Records: Locate millsites from available records, including Historic American Engineering
Record
Survey/Title Searches: Identify millsites and descriptions
Millsite Features: Locate and map millsite boundaries and features
Onsite Surveys/Ground Truthing: Overlay historic features on current maps
Millsite Operations: Estimate types and amounts of wastes from financial, operations, and other
records
Primary sources included 113 individual millsites that were identified and mapped. Secondary sources
included alluvial fans, floodplains, and reservoirs.
Source Characterization
After the source areas were delineated, biased sampling was performed to identify constituents of potential
concern (COPCs), verify the type and size of sources, and determine whether additional sampling would be
required:
Perform XRF and laboratory analyses at locations of suspected highest mercury concentrations
Collect 5-25 soil samples at identified tailings piles, millsites, impoundments
Compare results to Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs) and background
At any location for which two or more of the biased samples exceeded the PRG, additional stratified random
sampling was performed:
Delineate subareas
Determine number of samples needed (from one-sided t-test)
Establish systematic grid at subarea
Determine random coordinates and obtain sample
Determine the mean and 95% UCL exposure point concentrations
Other Media
Little, if any, mercury was measured in groundwater, indoor air, and garden fruits and vegetables. These
media were not, therefore, considered to be viable exposure pathways and were not characterized further.
An extensive characterization was completed for surfacewater, sediment, terrestrial and aquatic biota (Table 1).
Analytical
A variety of analytical methods were used, depending on the data quality objective, detection limits required,
and size of the area involved. Quality assurance procedures were applied for each method as appropriate:
Field analytical (e.g., XRF)
Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) analyses
Mobile field laboratory (FASP lab)
Specialized laboratory analyses (e.g., mercury speciation, gold/silver assays)
Ultra-Clean sampling and analytical methods
Waste profiling (e.g., TCLP for mercury and metals)
Remedial bench testing (i.e., centrifuging with and without chemical additions)
60
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Data Base
All samples were located using a GPS. Data was entered into a comprehensive data base that included
sample identification number; location; depth(s); analytical method; land use description; media; subarea
name and size; and relative source concentration. The data base also incorporated a statistical package so
that key descriptors, such as variance, could be calculated and the number of additional samples needed
could be quickly calculated while the sampling team was still mobilized at the subarea. After data validation
was complete the characterization information was mapped using an ARC-lnfo system.
3.3 Methodology, Speciation, and Mobility
3.3.1 Microbial Mercury Cycling in Sediments Associated with Historic Mining
in California - Mark Marvin-DiPasquale (Presenter), USGS; Jennifer Agee,
USGS; Charles N. Alpers, USGS; and Martha Thomas, University of
California at Santa Cruz
Background
The legacy of environmental Hg contamination in California stems largely from the close proximity of cinna-
bar (HgS) deposits in the central coastal mountains to the gold (Au) and silver (Ag) deposits to the north,
south and east. During the gold rush of the mid-to-late 1800s elemental-Hg (Hg°) was first produced from
HgS, then transported throughout the state for use in Au/Ag mining via the amalgamation process. While
the resulting Hg contamination is widespread and well documented in some areas, little is known about the
microbial cycling of Hg in aquatic sediments associated with these mining areas. We have conducted
preliminary research on potential rates of microbial MeHg production and degradation in sediments from
one Hg-mining site (New Idria) in the Coast Ranges and from four Ag/Au mining areas in the Sierra Nevada.
New Idria, located in the central coast Diablo Mountain range, was the second largest Hg mine in North
America, producing well over 16,000 tons of Hg° from HgS during its 118-year operation (1854-1972) (1,2).
Effluent from the mine, combined with leachate from the associated roasted-ore waste, currently drains into
nearby San Carlos Creek. This leads not only to extreme Hg contamination but also to acid-mine drainage
(AMD) conditions within the creek. This impaired water drains into the Mendota Water Fowl Management
area, the headwaters of the San Joaquin River and ultimately the San Francisco Bay.
The Bear River and Yuba River watersheds lie approximately 350 km to the north-west of New Idria, across
the Central Valley, on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. This was a region of extensive hydraulic
mining of Au/Ag placer (alluvial) deposits from the 1850s to 1880s. It is estimated that 1,300 tons of Hg° was
used in the Sierra Nevada, and of that 10-30% was lost during ore processing (3). Common throughout this
area is an extensive network of remnant tunnel and ground sluices. These sluices were essentially inclined
amalgamation troughs, charged with Hg°, that carried a slurry of gold-bearing gravel and water. These
remnant sluices often still contain visible amounts of liquid Hg° and Au-Hg amalgam. The Hg contaminated
waters of the Bear/Yuba River watersheds eventually flow into the Feather and Sacramento rivers and
ultimately to the San Francisco Bay.
MeHg is the most toxic form of Hg and is of concern because of its propensity to readily biomagnify within
aquatic and terrestrial food chains. The production of MeHg from inorganic Hg(ll) is primarily mediated by
sulfate reducing bacteria in anoxic sediments (4). In addition to Hg-methylation, bacteria also degrade
MeHg by a number of different pathways (5). Thus, the net production of MeHg is a balance between gross
MeHg-production and gross degradation, and there is interest in determining what controls these processes
and how they interact under various environmental conditions. This research examines these opposing
pathways in the above suite of Hg-contaminated mining sites.
Methods
Sampling at New Idria was conducted in January 1999 at four locations, including one non-AMD impacted
site (C-1) 3.2 km upstream of the mine and at three sites (AMD-1 through AMD-3) downstream of the mine.
AMD-1 was located directly in front of a mine adit (1 m wide portal), where subsurface AMD emerges as
61
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surface flow. AMD-2 was 0.1 km downstream of the mine adit, adjacent to a settling pond at the base of
large roasted-ore waste pile. These two sites were upstream of the point where the mine effluent enters San
Carlos Creek, with substrate largely composed of a bright orange precipitate, presumably poorly crystalline
iron(lll)-oxy-hydroxide sulfate (designated FeOOH), characteristic of AMD. Site AMD-3 was located 0.5 km
downstream of the mine effluent and creek mixing-zone, and sediment was brownish-orange in appear-
ance.
Sampling of hydraulic mining areas in the Sierra Nevada was conducted in November 1999, and included
sediment from two drift-mine sluice-tunnels (S1, S2), and one exposed ground sluice (S3). Samples were
taken from two separate locations (A&B) within S2 and S3. Two sites within Malakoff Diggings State Park
were also sampled, the first being an organic-rich pond (MDp) and the second a vent shaft (MDVS) opening
with effluent containing orange FeOOH precipitate similar to the New Idria AMD sites. Sediment from all
three sluices was brown with little or no obvious FeOOH precipitate.
In all cases, surface sediment [0-4 centimeter (cm)] was sampled from locations with a shallow overlying
water depth (5-15 cm) using appropriate trace-metal clean techniques. Subsamples for Hg-speciation analysis
were taken and immediately stored frozen (Sierra Nevada samples only). The remaining sediment was
stored in completely filled mason jars at 5°C for 2 to 36 days prior to further processing. All microbial sample
processing was done on homogenized sediment in an anoxic (N2 filled) glove bag. Individual samples
consisted of 3.0 g of wet sediment in a crimp-sealed 13 cubic centimeter (cm3) serum vial. Radiotracer
amendments of 203Hg(ll) (~ 1 mCi, 570-1930 ng Hg*g wet sed'1) and 14C-MeHg (~ 10 nCi, 12 ng Hg*g wet
sed"1) were used to assess potential rates of Hg-methylation (6) and MeHg-degradation (7), respectively.
Incubations were conducted at room temperature (20-22 °C) for 18-23 hours. Quality control consisted of
autoclave-killed controls and replication (n=3) for each sample set. It is assumed that the 203Hg-methylation
and 14C-MeHg degradation assays represent net and gross measurements, respectively. Sediment percent
organic carbon (%C) was measured on a Carlo-Erba Elemental Analyzer (model: NA 1500 NCS), after
acidification to remove carbonates. Sediment pH was measured with a Cole-Parmer (model: pH 20) meter
by simply inserting the electrodes directly into whole sediment. Hg-speciation was conducted on unsieved
wet sediment (n = 2 to 3). THg was quantified using acid digestion, Sn-reduction, gold trapping, and cold
vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry (CVAFS) detection (8, 9). MeHg was assayed by distillation
(10), aqueous phase ethylation, G-C separation and CVAFS detection (11). Potential rates were calculated
from radiotracer derived first-order rate constants and the amount of either 203Hg(ll) or 14C-MeHg added.
Results and Discussion
Spatial trends in microbial Hg-transformations (potential rates) contrasted between sites upstream and down-
stream of the point of acid-mine discharge in New Idria. MeHg-production was at least 10-fold faster at site
C-1 (upstream of the mixing zone) than at the three AMD sites (downstream of the mine) (Figure 1a).
Conversely, MeHg-degradation was 10-fold faster at the AMD sites than at C-1 (Figure 1 b). One interpreta-
tion of these trends is that net MeHg production was low in the AMD sites because gross MeHg degradation
was high. Variations in sediment organic content could not account for the large spatial differences ob-
served for these microbial processes, as organic-C was uniformly low (0.3 to 0.5%C) at all sites (Table 1).
However, the shift from alkaline to acid drainage conditions and the associated formation of FeOOH pre-
sumably impacted bacterial communities. Rates of microbial MeHg-degradation were negatively correlated
with pH, suggesting the importance of acidophilic bacteria in this process. Further, gaseous end-products of
14C-MeHg degradation (e.g., 14CH4 and 14CO2) indicated that MeHg primarily degrades via an oxidative
pathway at site C-1 and via a reductive detoxification pathway at the AMD sites (5). No clear relationships
existed between Hg-transformation potential rates and in situ concentrations of THg and MeHg, although
large errors were sometimes associated with these Hg-species measurements due to the heterogeneous
nature of these unsieved samples. We speculate that spatial differences in Hg(ll) bioavailability may also
play a role in the development of different populations of Hg-cycling bacteria spatially in San Carlos Creek.
Naturally abundant cinnabar (HgS) likely comprises the majority of Hg(ll) in the upstream C-1 site. Since
this form is very insoluble, we would expect the amount of bioavailable Hg(ll) to be less at C-1 compared to
the AMD sites, where the Hg(ll) is derived largely from the acid-leaching of both subterranean HgS deposits
and roasted ore waste. Thus, the higher concentrations of bioavailable Hg(ll) at the AMD locations may
select for microbial populations that are poised to degrade MeHg much more rapidly than at site C-1, where
the bioavailable Hg(ll) pool is presumably much smaller.
62
-------
,a)New Wria: MaHg Production
b) New Idri 3: Ivle tig De g radati on
25
AMD-] AMBJ AMB-3
o) Sierra Nevada: MeHg Production
C-l
AMD-1 AJ.tD 2 AMD-3
ce 20
TP
1 15
* ,0
S
0
0,4
0.2 0.2
0.2 0.4
J22S
0.2
d) Sierra rtevada; MeHg Degradation
«A 64
Figure 1. MeHg-production and degradation potential rates in sediments from San Carlos Creek (New Idria) and from a variety of
sluices and associated hydraulic mining areas throughout the Bear River and Yuba River watershed of the western Sierra Nevada in
California.
The highest potential rate of MeHg-production (23 ng*g wet se<±1*d"1) measured was in the organic-rich
(12.2%C) pond sediment of MDP in the Sierra Nevada (Figure 1c). This site also had the lowest sediment
oxidation/reduction (redox) potential (+133 mV) compared to all other hydraulic mining sites (> +400 mV).
Because decreased sediment redox is generally associated with increased activity of anaerobic bacteria
(e.g., sulfate reducers), we conclude that the very high MeHg-production rate observed at MDP was linked to
the high organic content and increased microbial activity at this site compared to other locations. THg was
also highest at MDp (19.7 ppm), although this concentration was only two-fold higher than at Sluice S1,
whereas the increase in MeHg-production was more than 50-fold. Thus, it is unlikely that the higher THg
levels at MDP significantly contributed to the high MeHg-production potential at this site. Similar to MeHg-
production, the MeHg-degradation potential was also enhanced at MDP compared to the three sluice sites
(S1, S2, and S3) (Figure 1d). An argument can be made regarding the influence of organic matter fueling
enhanced microbial degradation processes, as it was for MeHg-production. However, recent research also
supports the concept that MeHg-degradation rates may increase with increasing Hg-contamination both
within and across ecosystems (5). In addition, the FeOOH-rich MDVS site exhibited equally high MeHg-
degradation potentials as site MDP, even though MDVS had significantly less organic matter and lower in situ
Hg-species concentrations. Because this result was similar to the low-organic FeOOH-rich AMD sites in
New Idria, we speculate that bacteria associated with FeOOH particles (e.g., acidophiles, iron reducers/
oxidizers, sulfate reducers) may be particularly well adapted to degrade MeHg.
63
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Table 1. Mercury Speciation and Sediment Characterization of Mining Sites
Site
New Idria
C-1
AMD-1
AMD-2
AMD-3
Sierra Nevada
S1 (Birdseye Tunnel)
S2-A (Polar Star Tunnel)
S2-B (Polar Star Tunnel)
S3-A (Sailor Flat sluice)
S3-B (Sailor Flat sluice)
MDp (pond)
MDvs (vent)
THg
(M9*g dry wt1)"
7.9 ±6.0
3.5±1.5
16.8 ±8.5
5.6 + 0.5
9.6 ± 3.2
4.5 + 1.0
4.9 + 2.1
<0.07
<0.07
19.7 + 2.2
0.1 +0.0
MeHg
(ng*g dry wt1)8
2.0 ±0.4
0.8 ± 0.0
1.7 + 0.4
3.9 + 3.7
5.4 ±1.7
0.3 + 0.0
0.4 ± 0.0
<0.07
<0.07
30.7 ± 7.7
0.1
Organic Carbon
(%)
0.5
0.3
0.5
0.3
1.0
<0.07
0.1
0.1
0.1
12.2
1.8
J»H
8.1
2.9
2.6
7.1
6.9
4.4
6.4
4.8
n.d.
5.5
6.5
Visible FeOOH?
No
Yes-dominant
Yes-dominant
Yes-dilute
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes-dominant
aNew Idria Hg-speciation data previously presented (12)
n.d. = not determined
Conclusion
Potential rates of MeHg-production and degradation by resident bacteria were more responsive to in situ
geochernical conditions (e.g., organic content, redox, pH, FeOOH content) than to THg or MeHg concentra-
tions. The highest potential rates for both processes were associated with an organic-rich pond, although
high rates of MeHg-degradation were also associated with low-organic sites containing visibly high concen-
trations of FeOOH. This study demonstrates the importance of assessing both MeHg production and deg-
radation to better understand the processes that control net MeHg production. Furthermore, this preliminary
investigation of mining areas illustrates that microbial Hg- transformations are complex, spatially variable
and only poorly understood. Continued work in such systems will likely lead to advances in the area of Hg-
bioremediation. Bacteria from these and similar Hg-contaminated mining locations are presumably adapted
to high concentrations and rapid cycling of Hg. The isolation of bacteria from these extreme environments
may lead to the use of such organisms in future bioremediation projects.
References
(1) Ganguli, P.M. 1998. Mercury Speciation in Acid Mine Drainage: New Idria Quicksilver Mine,
California; Master's Thesis, University of California: Santa Cruz, CA.
(2) Ganguli, P.M.; Mason, R.P.; Abu-Saba, K.E.; Anderson, R.S.; Flegal, A.R. 2000. Environ. Sci.
Tech., in press.
(3) Alpers, C.N.; Hunerlach, M.P. 2000. Mercury Contamination from Historic Mining in California;
U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-061-00; USGS: Sacramento.
(4) Gilmour, C.C.; Henry, E.A.; Mitchell, R. 1992. Environ. Sci. Tech., 26, 2281.
(5) Marvin-DiPasquale, M.; Agee, J.; McGowan, C.; Oremland, R. S.; Thomas, M.; Krabbenhoft, D.;
Gilmour, C. 2000. Environ. Sci. Tech., in press.
(6) Gilmour, C.C.; Riedel, G.S. 1995. Water Air Soil Pollut., 80, 747.
(7) Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C.; Oremland, R.S. 1998. Environ. Sci. Tech., 32, 2556.
(8) Gill, G.A.; Fitzgerald, W.F. 1987. Mar. Chem., 20, 227.
(9) Bloom, N.S.; Fitzgerald, W.F. 1988. Analytica Chimica Acta, 208, 151.
(10) Horvat, M.; Liang, L; Bloom, N.S. 1993. Analytica Chimica. Acta, 282, 153.
64
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(11) Bloom, N. 1989. Can. J. Fish. Aquati. Sci., 46, 1131.
(12) Thomas, M. 1999. Microbial Production and Degradation of Methylmercury in Sediments of a
Contaminated Mercury Mine: New Idria, California; Bachelor's Thesis, University of California: Santa
Cruz.
3.3.2 Uncertainty Analysis of the Carson River Mercury Transport Model
- Rosemary W.H. Carroll (Presenter), Desert Research Institute and John
J.Warwick, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences,
University of Florida
Introduction
The Carson River in west central Nevada is heavily contaminated with mercury derived from the Comstock
Lode and other mining operations of the late-19th century. Past studies of the Carson River system have
focused on modeling inorganic and MeHg transport (Carroll et al., 2000). Current understanding of inor-
ganic mercury transport and fate is more than adequate, and model prediction occurs with reasonable
accuracy. On the other hand, the biogeochemical processes that affect the methylation of inorganic mer-
cury into MeHg are numerous and complicated. The resulting uncertainties in parameters that characterize
methylation generate significant errors in predicting the water column MeHg concentrations.
During January 1997 a rain-on-snow event occurred in the Sierra Nevada to produce the largest recorded
flood along the Carson River. This single extreme event caused tremendous geomorphic change through
bank erosion and widespread overbank deposition (Miller et al., 1999). An unsteady flow, mercury transport
model developed by Carroll et al. (2000) was calibrated with mercury water column data collected prior to
the 1997 flood. This model proved a poor predictor of observed post-1997 flood MeHg water column con-
centrations. Carroll et al. (2000) showed that given a low flow regime, post-flood MeHg simulations have a
larger model error, a change in error bias and a shift upstream of the peak MeHg concentrations when
compared to pre-flood results. If it is assumed that the Carson River model adequately predicts pre-1997
flood MeHg water column concentrations, then these results suggest MeHg transport and fate may have
been altered as a consequence of the flood. The objective of this study is to delineate model error in
prediction associated with the mass transfer of MeHg from the bottom sediments along the Carson River.
Given the model is a predictor of systematic behavior, it may be possible to use model results to test system
response to the 1997 flood.
Site Description
A map of the Carson River basin is shown in Figure 1 with several reference locations marked. The Carson
River flows eastward out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains just to the south of the Tahoe Basin. The section
of the Carson River under investigation extends from the USGS gauging station near Carson City, Nevada
(CCG) downstream to the river's confluence with Lahontan Reservoir. Flow in the Carson River is typical of
most semi-arid fluvial systems in that it is highly variable. Flow is predominately from snowmelt in the Sierra
Nevada with peak discharge generally occurring in the spring with a sustained moderately high hydrograph.
Catastrophic floods, such as the January 1997 flood, however, are generated with rain-on-snow events that
occur during the winter months.
65
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1«Canon City flaga (CCG)
Z-Deer Run Rosd(DRR)
3-Dayton (DAY)
4 - Upstroam TaW« Mountain (UTM)
S-Fort Churchill (FCH)
Ci,xor> Riv»r
Watered Boundary
KBwnttw*
Figure 1, The Carson River Basin with reference locations marked.
Deterministic Model
Three computer models developed by the USEPA are used to simulate the transport and fate of mercury
within the Carson River. These models were originally chosen and linked by Heim and Warwick (1997) with
further modifications made by Carroll et al. (2000). RIVMOD is a one-dimensional hydrodynamic and sedi-
ment transport routine that simultaneously solves standard fluid equations of continuity and momentum
(Hosseinipour and Martin, 1990). WASPS is the USEPA Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program-5 that
was developed to simulate the transport and transformation of various water body constituents via a mass
balance approach (Ambrose et al., 1991). Finally, MERC4 is a subroutine contained within WASPS (Martin,
1992). It was developed to specifically compute mercury speciation and kinetic transformation.
Water column MeHg concentrations were calibrated using two parameters. The first calibration parameter
is directly associated with MeHg bank concentrations. Channel banks have much higher concentrations of
mercury associated with sediment than those found within the channel bed (Miller and Lechler, 1998) and
may actively control water column concentrations if bank erosion processes are significant. Carroll et al.
(2000) adjusted X2 in equation (1) to a value of 22.0 ng/kg in order to best match water column data
collected during a medium flow regime (17 cubic meter per second (m3/s), 600 cubic feet per second (ft3/s)).
Here the boundary condition of MeHg bank concentration, [MeHg]bank, is in units of ^g/kg while S0 is the
designated longitudinal bottom slope of the model segment.
66
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[MeHg]bank= .
The second calibration parameter defines the flow above which MeHg input via bank erosion no longer
occurs. Carroll et al. (2000) found that MeHg input from bank erosion increases until 28.3 m3/s (1,000 ft3/s).
Above 28.3 m3/s, additional MeHg contribution from bank erosion becomes zero.
Uncertainty Analysis
Three parameters that affect the movement of MeHg from the bottom sediments are investigated: the diffu-
sion rate (E), the methylation rate coefficient (M) and the demethylation rate coefficient (D). While the me-
thylation and demethylation rates are allowed to vary independently, they are evaluated as a single ratio (M/
D). After ranges are established for each parameter, a preliminary sensitivity analysis is conducted to
determine the relative importance of each parameter. This is then followed by a more comprehensive Monte
Carlo analysis.
Two separate flow regimes are simulated to evaluate the importance of bank erosion and diffusion on error
propagation. The first scenario uses a steady state simulation of 28.3 m3/s (1000 ft3/s) at which MeHg input
via bank erosion is at a maximum. No data exists for this discharge, but a range in possible model output
given changing parameter values is established. The second scenario uses steady state flow of 1.42 m3/s
(50 ft3/s) to represent a discharge in which diffusion processes dominate. Low flow model results are com-
pared to data collected from July 23,1997 until July 29,1997 when discharge at FCH (segment 140) varied
between 1.22 m3/s - 1.81 m3/s (43 ft3/s - 64 ft3/s).
Measured methylation and demethylation rates were taken from two separate studies (Heim, 1996; Oremland
et al., 1995) in order to establish minimum and maximum potential rates. Unlike M/D, there is only one value
for diffusion (4x10~12 square meter per second (m2/s)) that exists from collected data (Heim, 1996), and it is
not possible to constrain an acceptable range applicable to the Carson River. Instead, the variation of
diffusion from its deterministic value of 4 x 10"12 m2/s is done to closely mirror variations in the M/D ratio.
Consequently, E is not included in the Monte Carlo analysis.
Results of the sensitivity analysis are provided in Table 1. These results show that output is equally sensitive
to the M/D ratio and E. Results also show that both parameters have significantly more effect on model
output during low flow regimes when velocities are slow and diffusion processes dominate. At higher flow
regimes, bank erosion processes are more important. By increasing the mass transfer of MeHg out of the
bottom sediments (increasing M/D or E), it becomes necessary to lower A,2 through re-calibration (i.e., lower
the impact of bank erosion on MeHg input). Subsequent dilution causes a decreasing trend in MeHg con-
centrations. One notable exception occurs at the highest M/D value (0.26). At this value, the calibration of
MeHg water column concentrations proved too high despite forcing A.2 to equal 0 ^g/kg (no MeHg input via
bank erosion). Results show that for the M/D value of 0.26, the dilution of MeHg is not adequate to lower
MeHg water column concentrations at 28.3 m3/s (1000 ft3/s). Since it is impossible to use negative bank
concentrations to calibrate the model when M/D equals 0.26, it became necessary to constrain the upper
limit of M/D. A value of 0.065 is found to be the maximum M/D ratio, and expected trends in equilibrium
water column concentrations are maintained.
67
-------
Table 1. Sensitivity Analysis Results Showing Parameter Ranges, Re-Calibration of \2 End Equilibrium MeHg Concentrations
Value
MM9/kg)
Segment 140 (FCH)
MeHg Equilibrium Concentration (ng/L)
I,000ft3/s
50 «3/s
M/D (dimensionless)
0.00044
0.0091
0.016
0.044
0.065
0.26
28
22
18
9
0
«0
10.40
9.03
8.23
7.32
5.97
21.50
1.51
6.31
9.87
25.70
37.80
146.00
E (m2/s)
4.0*10-13
2.0*10-12
3.2*10-12
4.0*10-12
4.8*10-12
6.0*10-12
2.0*10-11
2.8*10-11
27
25
23
22
22
21
9
0
10.10
9.66
9.21
9.03
9.03
9.06
7.70
5.80
1.80
3.73
5.51
6.31
7.20
8.70
25.00
34.80
Monte Carlo simulations used methylation and demethylation rates described by independent, uniform dis-
tributions to reflect "decision uncertainty" (Warwick and Cale, 1986; Warwick and Edgmon, 1988). Given the
continuum of possible M/D ratios calculated from randomly selected methylation and demethylation rate
coefficients, a polynomial function, presented with equation (2), was developed for the auto-calibration of A.2
and was written directly into the WASP5 numeric code.
= 1678[M/D]2 - 521 [M/D] + 27.3
(2)
Monte Carlo simulations using 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 realizations were conducted for steady state
flow conditions of 28.3 m3/s (1000 ft3/s) and 1.42 m3/s (50 ft3/s). Every Monte Carlo simulation was initiated
with the same random seed. Model output is evaluated following each Monte Carlo simulation to estimate
the 90% confidence interval (Cl) along the entire length of the stream. Given a steady state flow of 28.3 m3/s
(1000 ft3/s) the estimated 90% Cl is shown in Figure 2a. Assuming 1,600 realizations describes the true
output distribution, Figure 2a shows convergence upon the 90% Cl occurs with 800 realizations with uncer-
tainty in MeHg output at segment 140 equaling to 1.9 ng/L.
The same array of realizations (100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600) was used to define the 90% Cl for steady state
discharge of 1.42 m3/s (50 ft3/s). Output is shown in Figure 2b. Results show that, similar to the higher flow
scenario, it appears that 800 realizations are necessary to accurately estimate the 90% Cl. As expected the
uncertainty in MeHg prediction increases with lower discharge, to produce a spread in the Cl at segment
140 of 11.6 ng/L. Included within Figure 2b are data collected from July 23, 1997 until July 29, 1997. The
criteria for assessing system response to the 1997 flood involves comparing the envelope of probable
model outcomes with observed data. If a statistically significant change occurred to MeHg transport be-
cause of the 1997-flood (i.e., due to geomorphic change), then the established CIs would not incorporate
the scatter seen in the data. Results show that probable model predictions account for all the MeHg data.
Given that all observed points lie within the 90% Cl, it is not possible to identify any significant change along
the Carson River in terms of MeHg transport and fate.
68
-------
20 40 SO 80 100 120 140 ISO ISO
Model S»gm«ntNumb«r
* Observed Values
- • • -100 realizations
!~~200 realizations
400 realizations
800 realizations
1600 realizations
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Model Segment Number
Figure 2. The 90% Cl for several Monte Carlo simulations given steady state discharge of (a) 28.3 m3/
s and (b) 1.42 m3/s.
Conclusions
This study addresses uncertainty in the mass transfer of MeHg from the bottom sediments into the overlying
water column. Three parameters are investigated. These parameters include the diffusion rate, the methy-
lation rate coefficient, and the demethylation rate coefficient. Results show that if the parameters are evalu-
ated for equivalent magnitudes of change, then the M/D ratio is only slightly more influential on model output
than the diffusion rate. Parameter sensitivity on MeHg water column concentrations is very high for both
parameters during low discharge regimes. At low flow, slow velocities hinder MeHg dilution and the bank
erosion process becomes negligent. Consequently, mass movement out of the bottom sediments, which is
driven by the diffusion rate and the M/D ratio, dominates MeHg input. At higher discharge, parameter
sensitivity is significantly reduced, and a negative correlation exists between the parameter and model
output. In other words, by increasing the mass transfer of MeHg out of the bottom sediments (increasing M/
D or E), it becomes necessary to lower the impact of bank erosion on MeHg input. Subsequent dilution
causes a decreasing trend in MeHg concentrations.
69
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A more comprehensive Monte Carlo analysis is conducted to test error propagation associated with uncer-
tainty in methylation and demethylation rate coefficients. Unfortunately, it is necessary to exclude the diffu-
sion rate from the Monte Carlo analysis because no data exists to constrain a range of values applicable to
the Carson River. Methylation and demethylation are assumed to vary independently and are described by
uniform distributions to reflect "decision uncertainty." It is discovered that the 90% Cl can be defined with a
minimum of 800 realizations per Monte Carlo simulation. As expected, error increases significantly with
decreasing discharge. Given 28.3 m3/s (1,000 ft3/s) steady state conditions, uncertainty in the downstream
reaches of the river is approximately 1.9 ng/L. Uncertainty increases to 11.6 ng/L for 1.42 m3/s (50 ft3/s).
Results show that probable model output at low flow encompasses all of the scatter exhibited by the July
1997 MeHg data set. Therefore the Carson River mercury model is not capable of predicting a statistically
significant response to the 1997 flood in terms of MeHg transport and fate. It is also notable that model
results represent a conservative estimate of model error in prediction. Model results would undoubtedly
produce a greater spread in possible MeHg output if either a larger Cl was used or more model parameters
were considered uncertain.
Acknowledgments
This study was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), EAR-9528510. It is
also recognized that this work has been contingent on laboratory analysis conducted by Jean-Claude
Bonzongo and field data collected by Jerry Miller. Finally we wish to thank Greg Pohll, Richard French and
Dave Benson at the Desert Research Institute for constructive criticism and advice concerning this project.
References
Ambrose, R.B., Wool, T.A., Martin, J.P. and Schanz, R.W. 1991. WASP5.X: A Hydrodynamic and Water
Quality Model: Model Theory, User's Manual and Programmer's Guide. USEPA, Athens, Georgia.
Carroll, R.W.H., Warwick, J.J., Heim, K.J., Bonzongo, J.C., Miller, J.R., and Lyons, W.B. 2000. "Simulating
Mercury Transport and Fate in the Carson River, Nevada." Ecological Modeling, 125(2-3): 255-
278.
Heim, J.K. 1996. Modeling the Fate of Mercury in the Carson River and Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada.
Dissertation 3762. UNR.
Heim, J.K. and Warwick, J.J. 1997. "Simulating Sediment Transport in the Carson River and Lahontan
Reservoir, Nevada." Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 33(1): 177-191.
Hosseinipour, E.Z. and Martin, J.L. 1990. RIVMOD: A One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Sediment
Transport Model: Model Theory and User's Guide. USEPA, Athens, Georgia.
Martin, J.L. 1992. MERC4: A Mercury Transport and Kinetics Model: Model Theory and User's Guide.
U.S. ER, Athens, Georgia.
Miller, J.R. Barr, R., Grow, D., Lechler, P., Richardson, D., Waltman, K., and Warwick, J. 1999. "Effects of
the 1997 Flood on the Transport and Storage of Sediment and Mercury Within the Carson River
Valley, West-Central Nevada." Journal of Geology, 107(3): 313.
Miller, J.R. and Lechler, P.J. 1998. "Mercury Partitioning Within Alluvial Sediments of the Carson River
Valley, Nevada: Implications for Sampling Strategies in Tropical Environments." In: J.Wasserman et
al. (Editor), Geochemistry of Tropical Environments. Springer-Verlag, pp. 211-233.
Oremland, R.S., Miller, L.G., Dowdle, P., Connell, T. and Barkay, T. 1995. "Methylmercury Oxidative Degra-
dation Potentials in Contaminated and Pristine Sediments of the Carson River, Nevada." Applied
Environmental Microbiology, 61 (7): 2745-2753.
Warwick, J.J. and Cale, W.G. 1986. "Effects of Parameter Uncertainty in Stream Modeling." Journal of
Environmental Engineering, ASCE, 112(3): 479-489.
Warwick, J.J. and Edgmon, J.D. 1988. "Wet Weather Water Quality Modeling." Journal of Water
Resources Planning and Management, ASCE, 114(3): 313-325.
70
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3.3.3 Assessing the Mobility of Mercury in Mine Waste - Chris Sladek,
Department of Geological Science, UNR and Mae Sexauer Gustin,
Department of Environmental and Resource Sciences, UNR
Introduction
Assessing the speciation and mobility of mercury associated with mine waste is essential for determining if
there are human and ecological health concerns associated with Hg contaminated sites, and if remediation
actions should be taken. Sequential extraction methods are commonly used for this purpose. Nirel and
Morel (1990) stressed that indiscriminate application of such methods can produce erroneous results. For
example, speciation analysis for elemental mercury (Hg°), soluble Hg, HgS and total Hg by separate labs of
samples from the Carson River Superfund Site, Nevada, USA showed disagreement of up to 82% for total
Hg, and even greater discrepancies for specific Hg species (Hogan and Smucker, 1994).
The initial phases of this project evaluated the efficiency of some procedures commonly used in sequential
extraction methods for determining Hg speciation in sediments in an effort to develop a method for determin-
ing mobility of Hg species in mine waste. Pyrolitic methods were applied for the determination of volatile
phases; leaching with chloride solutions was utilized for determination of soluble or mobile species; and acid
digestions were used to extract strongly bound or relatively immobile species and forTHg analyses. Pyrolitic
extraction at greater than 80°C resulted in significant over estimation of Hg°. A pyrolitic extraction conducted
at 80°C for 8 hours removed 10.4 ± 0.5 % of Hg amended as HgCI2, while extractions performed at 150 and
180°C for 8 hours removed 42.4 ± 1.4 % and 66.5 ± 1.5 % of Hg amended as HgCI2 to natural sediments.
Ammonium chloride was found to be more efficient than MgCI2 in removing HgCI2. The organic content of a
sediment was found to interfere significantly with sequential extraction results. Inorganic amendments such
as FeOOH and vermiculite also influenced extraction results but not as strongly as organic matter. Three
acid digestions for total Hg were compared for their efficiency at removing Hg from silica encapsulated
cinnabar (HgS): 1 HF : 1 HNO3:3 HCL, aqua regia (1 HNO3:3 HCI) and 3 H2SO4:7 HNO3. Aqua regia was
89.9 ± 3.1 % as efficient as the HF digestion, while the 3 H2SO4: 7 HNO3 was only 40.8 ± 1.8 % as efficient
as the HF digestion.
Methods for Evaluation of Mine Waste
After evaluation of various sequential extraction methods the following protocol was established for deter-
mining the mobility of Hg in mine waste. Because it was determined that the pyrolitic extraction removed
soluble Hg, volatile and soluble Hg extractions were performed separately. An 80°C pyrolitic extraction for 8
hours was used to determine volatile Hg (Hg°). This was followed by an aqua regia digestion for residual Hg.
On a sample split, an NH4CI leach was used to determine soluble or exchangeable Hg (Hg2+) followed by an
aqua regia digestion for residual Hg. The results of the first extraction (pyrolitic or NH4CI leach) were
summed with the aqua regia digestion to determine total Hg and calculate the percent Hg extracted.
Since the mine wastes are typically low in organic material, binding of Hg to organic material was not
expected to confound the extraction efficiencies. Extractions were performed on triplicate 1 g samples.
Mercury analysis were performed using a Varian model 220 Spectra AA and VGA 77 hydride generator.
Sodium borohydride was used as a reductant. A closed cell analyzer tube, which was heated to eliminate
interference from water vapor, was used. The detection limit was 0.5 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) Hg in
solution and the reporting limit was 1 ng/mL in solution.
The procedures above were applied to the following samples: Tailings from the Comstock mining district,
Nevada, USA, where Hg° was used in amalgamation processing of gold ore; waste rock (altered serpentinite
containing HgS), calcine (waste product from roasting serpentinite Hg ore) and condenser soot (waste from
cleaning the mercury condenser tubes) from the New Idria mercury mining district, California, USA, waste
rock from the Antelope district (altered limestone containing HgS) Nevada, and calcine (waste product from
roasting limestone Hg ore) from the Table Mountain district, Nevada.
Results and Discussion
Results indicated that Hg in these waste products is largely immobile. Volatile Hg determined by deduction
was within the error of total Hg determinations. Volatile Hg for the Comstock tailings was less than 4.2%,
and soluble Hg determined using the NH4CI leach was 0.16 % ± 0.01 of the extracted Hg in the Comstock
71
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tailings. Volatile Hg from the New Idria waste materials ranged from less than 1.8% for condenser soot to
3.7% for waste rock containing visible cinnabar. Soluble Hg was 3.48 ± 0.08 % for calcine and 0.05 ±
0.003% for waste rock. The extractability of Hg from the Table Mountain calcine is much lower than the Idria
calcine with Hg2+ below analytical detection limit.
Lechler et al. (1997) found Hg° to be approximately 90% of Hg in sediments from the Comstock district using
a pyrolitic extraction temperature of 180°C. A silver and gold amalgam was identified in a sample of tailings
from the Comstock district by backscatter imaging and energy dispersive X-ray analysis using a Jeol 840A
scanning electron microscope. If elemental Hg in tailings is largely in the form of amalgams, it could explain
the relatively low recovery at 80°C.
Additional leaches containing 0.5 M H2SO4 and 0.5 M H?SO4 + 0.1 M NaCI were used to simulate acid rock
drainage. Sodium chloride was included because chloride is a common anion in most waters, and it is an
effective ligand for Hg at low temperatures. Mercury leached from Comstock tailings increased from 0.09 ±
0.002 % to 2.61 ± 0.28 % with the addition of 0.1 M NaCI to 0.5 M H2SO4 leach. Mercury extracted from New
Idria waste material using the 0.5 M H2SO4 + 0.1 M NaCI was 0.56 ± 0.06 for waste rock and 11.1+ 0.53 %
for calcine.
Extractions from the Antelope and Table Mountain waste material using this leach were 0.1 ± 0.01 % for
waste rock and 0.01 ± 0.001 % for calcine. This lower extraction in comparison to the New Idria waste
materials is likely due to a strong acid neutralizing potential because of the high carbonate content in the
Antelope and Table Mountain waste material.
Rytuba et al. (2000) found Hg in streams impacted by mining in the New Idria district to be dominantly
particulate and not dissolved. Dispersion of Hg downstream of Hg mines in Nevada is highly localized
suggesting a low mobility of Hg (Gray et al., 2000). These findings are consistent with the extractability of
Hg by the leaches used in this study. Decades of exposure may have leached much of the more soluble Hg
from the waste materials analyzed. Since most of the samples analyzed were taken near the surface
(approximately 10 cm depth), an analysis of Hg speciation through a vertical profile in a waste dumps should
indicate if weathering related leaching has caused a depletion of soluble Hg near the surface. High rates of
gaseous Hg flux have been measured from areas naturally enriched and contaminated by Hg, including
some of the sites from which samples for this study were collected (Gustin et al. 2000). This suggests that
volatilization may be a primary mechanism by which Hg is released to the environment from these waste
products.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the USEPA STAR Grant # 2825249 for funding, and the Nevada Bureau of Mines
and Geology for their assistance and the use of their AA during the early phases of this study.
References
Gray, J. E., Crock, J. G., and Fey, D. L, 2000, Environmental Effects of Abandoned Mercury Mines in the
Humbolt River Basin, Nevada, USA: 25th International conference on Heavy Metals in the Environ-
ment.
Gustin, M. S., Coolbaugh, M., Engle, M., Fitzgerald, B., Nacht, D., Zehner, R., Sladek, C., K e i s I a r, R .,
Rytuba, J., Lindberg, S. E., and Zhang, Z., 2000, Mercury emissions from mine waste:
This conference.
Hogan, S. and Smucker, S., 1994, Revised draft Human Health Risk Assessment and Remedial
Investigation report Carson River mercury site: U. S. EPA.
Lechler, P. J., Miller, J. R., Hsu, L-C., and Desitets, M. O., 1997, Understanding Mercury Mobility at the
Carson River Superfund Site, Nevada, USA: Interpretation of Mercury Speciation Results From Mill
Tailings, Soils and Sediments: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 58, p. 259-267.
Nirel, R. M. V., and Morel, F. M. M., 1990, Pitfalls of Sequential Extractions: Water Resources, v. 24, p.
1055-1056.
72
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Rytuba, J. J., Miller, W. R., Crock, J. G., and Kim, C. S., 2000, Transport and Deposition of Mercury from
Mine Drainage and Tailings in Watersheds With Serpentinite Bedrock, New Idria, California: USA:
25th International conference on Heavy Metals in the Environment.
3.3.4 Application of Selective Extractions to the Determination of Mercury
Speciation in Mine Tailings and Adjacent Soils - Nicolas S. Bloom, Frontier
Geosciences and Jodie Katon, Frontier Geosciences, Inc.
Introduction
Speciation is critical to understanding and modeling Hg contaminated soils because it is the particular distri-
bution of compounds and their interaction with soil under aqueous conditions that determine their environ-
mental mobility and bioavailability (Davis, et al., 1997). To address this need, we have refined and validated
a robust solid phase analytical scheme based upon sequential selective extractions (Bloom, et al., 2000).
Although no extraction scheme can provide true species-specific information, this method does provide
precise and accurate data regarding the biogeochemically relevant fractionation of Hg in sediments and
soils. This method differentiates Hg into behavioral classes including water soluble, "stomach acid" soluble,
organo-chelated, elemental, and mercuric sulfide, while still providing sufficiently low MDLs for pristine stud-
ies. The speciation profiles generated have been inter-compared with other assessment techniques, such
as EXAFS, TCLP, and a methylation bioassay that uses incubation with natural sediments. These experi-
ments show that mine site media (soils and tailings) that contain higher percentages of inorganic Hg in the
first three extraction fractions (water soluble, dilute acid soluble, and organo-chelated Hg) are more readily
methylated than those containing most of their Hg in the last two extraction fractions (approximately Hg° and
HgS). Long-term incubations suggest that all forms of Hg found at mine sites are methylated to some
degree however, and they appear to convert slowly to the site-specific sediment Hg speciation profile, re-
gardless of the initial speciation of the added material.
Experimental Methodology
Samples for this study were obtained from clients as parts of other unrelated investigations. Sediments
were shipped to the laboratory via overnight courier, and then either processed immediately, or frozen until
processing. Soils were sieved through a 2.0 or 1.4 mm sieve prior to homogenization and analysis, and
were co-processed with extensive QC samples, including method blanks, certified reference materials, and
pure Hg compounds suspended in kaolin.
Total mercury was determined by room temperature digestion in aqua regia (4:1 HCI + HNO3). After over-
night digestion, the samples were diluted to 40.0 ml with 0.02 N BrCI in 1N HCI, and aliquots analyzed by
USEPA Method 1631 (dual amalgamation/CVAFS). Gas-phase Hg° concentrations were determined after
equilibration for several days at room temperature (20-22°C) in half-full 500 mL glass jars with Teflon caps.
For analysis, a small hole was drilled into the cap of each jar, and a gas-tight glass syringe was used to
withdraw 5.00 mL of headspace gas. This was injected into an argon flow and carried onto a gold-coated
sand trap, which absorbs the Hg by amalgamation. Traps were analyzed using EPA Method 1631.
Inorganic Hg speciation was determined by sequential selective extractions of separate 0.4 g aliquots of the
homogenized solids (Bloom, et al., 2000) as indicated in Table 1. The extraction was performed using a
100:1 liquid-to-solids ratio in 40 mL vials. Each extraction step was conducted for 18±3 hr, with constant
agitation, at 18-22°C. At the end of each step, the samples were centrifuged, and then the supernatant
liquid was filtered through a 0.2 \i filter. The solid pellets were then re-suspended in the same extractant,
re-centrifuged, and re-filtered. The two filtrates were combined in a 125 mL bottle, oxidized by the addition
of BrCI, and diluted to 125 mL prior to analysis for total Hg by EPA Method 1631. After the rinse step, the
sample pellet in the centrifuge tube was resuspended in the next extractant, and the entire process was
repeated.
73
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Table 1. Sequential Extraction Method Summary
.«H& :^:; ';;•:<•;, £- "*••-•
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
•Kymata*' ••-. : •
Dl water
pH 2 HCI / HOAc
1N KOH
12N HNO3
aqua regia
Description
water soluble
"stomach acid"
organo complexed
strong complexed
cinnabar
Typical Compounds
HgCL2HgSO4
HgO
Hg-humics, Hg2CI2
mineral lattice, Hg2CI2, Hg°
HgS, M-HgS, HgSe, HgAu
Methyl Hg was quantified by extraction of separate 0.5 g aliquots from a KBr/H2SO4/CuSO4 mixture into
CH2CI2 (Bloom, et al., 1997). After centrifugation to separate the aqueous and organic layers, an aliquot of
the CH2CI2 layer was then back-extracted by solvent volatilization into 60 ml_ of pure water prior to analysis
for CH3Hg. Aliquots of the final extract were analyzed by aqueous phase ethylation, purge and trap onto
Carbotrap, isothermal GC separation, and CVAFS detection (EPA Draft Method 1630).
As a QA investigation, some samples were analyzed using EXAFS (Kim, et al., 1999) as dry powders in
fluorescence mode with a 13 element high throughput Ge detector. Data were collected on beamlines 4-2
and 4-3 at the Stanford University Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). Natural sample EXAFS spec-
tra were compared against a database of pure Hg compounds. Model compounds were powdered and
diluted with boron nitride, and EXAFS spectra collected in the transmission mode. This technique requires
samples with a total Hg concentration of greater than 100 u,g/g, and can provide resolution of compounds
that are in the model compound library, and make up more than 10% of the total Hg in the sample.
To assess their methylation potential, various substrates were mixed with a natural low Hg, high organic
matter freshwater sediment and incubated in sealed vials. After processing and homogenization, the sedi-
ment had a pH of 6.4, contained 0.19 ^g/g of total Hg, 0.0014 u.g/g of methyl Hg, and 4.8% total organic
carbon on a dry weight basis. When used in the incubation experiments, the sediment was first homog-
enized, together with some of the overlying water, to contain approximately 20% solids. In 125 ml glass
vials with Teflon lined caps, 100 g of sediment were mixed with a small amount (0.01-3.00 g) of contami-
nated soils or pure compounds dispersed in kaolin to obtain a final total Hg concentration of about 5 ng/g
(wet basis). The bottles were tightly sealed, and placed on a roller at approximately 5 RPM, where they
were continuously homogenized for the first three weeks, and periodically after that time until aliquoting for
selective extractions and CH3Hg analysis. Incubations were conducted at room temperature, which varied
from 18-22°C. Aliquots were taken for analysis at 1 -week, 3-week, and 22-week intervals.
Speciation Results
Samples for Hg speciation were collected from two abandoned mine sites, including the Red Devil cinnabar
mine in southeastern Alaska (CM) and a gold mine in central California (GM). Also included are the specia-
tion profiles for several pure substances, and samples from particular sites that were contaminated by
activities other than mining (CS). These samples are identified in Table 2, and the corresponding speciation
information is presented in Table 3. As part of the method validation study, eight samples were submitted
both for selective extractions and EXAFS analysis, three of which are shown in Table 4. Although the
sequences of Hg compounds shown for EXAFS and for selective extractions are both listed in order of
decreasing solubility, the reader must not make the mental correlation of each extraction fraction with the
adjacent EXAFS species. Of the species reported by EXAFS, we expect HgCI2, HgO and HgSO4 to be
leached quantitatively by the F1 + F2 fractions, while HgS, meta-HgS, and HgSe should all remain until the
F5 extraction fraction.
74
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Table 2. Sample IDs and Ancillary Parameters
Sample
HgCP
Hg°
HgS
HgSO4
GM-1
GM-2
CM-1
CM-2
CM-3
CM-4
CS-1
CS-2
CS-3
CS-4
CS-5
CS-6
OtSer^Jjfon =• ' -,,„• .':*, -'• A:.; ". •:_; /v^v(£.yV£;'.§:
Hg(ll) chloride in kaolin
elemental Hg in kaolin
red cinnabar in kaolin
Hg(ll) sulfate in kaolin
gold mine tailings (deep)
gold mine tailings (surface)
HgS mine soil, retort area (surface)
HgS mine soil, retort area (10 cm)
HgS mine soil, retort area (210 cm)
HgS mine soil @ seep (surface)
Hg°spill impacted arid soil (90) days
Hg(NO3)2 floodplain soil (50 years)
chlor-alkali plant soil (40 years)
GM-1 incubated sediment (143 days)
Hg(ll) incubates sed (143 days)
HgS incubated sed (143 days)
nd
1,334
0.04
253,000
407
28.3
0.73
0.14
2,898
0.14
0.39
nd
18,900
nd
nd
nd
nd
16,478
nd
nd
72.7
5.6
3.3
0.1
17.980
19.7
1,241
nd
16,800
nd
nd
nd
ng/L micrograms per liter
ng/m3 micrograms per cubic meter
75
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Table 3. Speciation Results for Selected Sediment and Soil Samples
Sample
Hgci,
% of total
Hg°
% of total
HgS
% of total
meta-HgS
% of total
HgS04
% of total
GM-1
% of total
GM-2
% of total
CM-1
% of total
CM-2
% of total
CM-3
% of total
CM-4
% of total
CS-1
% of total
CS-2
% of total
CS-3
% of total
CS-4
% of total
CS-5
% of total
CS-6
% of total
Mercurv Concer
F1
2,302
96.5
10.4
0.04
0.10
0.002
0.02
0.000
1,052
22.0
2.19
5.3
8.29
1.3
0.44
0.09
0.10
0.01
13.9
0.19
0.07
0.04
1.27
3.4
1.99
0.36
133
0.18
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.06
0.01
0.06
F2
77.0
3.2
27.9
0.12
0.02
0.001
0.17
0.002
3,751
78.6
15.28
36.6
7.75
1.2
0.04
0.01
0.00
0.00
433
6.0
0.06
0.03
0.06
0.16
42.0
7.7
211
0.29
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.06
0.00
0.00
itratiom
F3
4.04
0.17
54.3
0.23
0.12
0.002
0.43
0.004
68.6
1.4
6.41
15.4
6.39
1.0
1.33
0.26
11.6
1.3
49.3
0.68
1.69
0.85
0.32
0.86
150
27.5
112
0.15
2.30
12.5
2.53
14.3
0.71
4.5
5 uo/a (
F4
2.10
0.09
22,502
96.9
5.55
0.13
18.6
0.18
48.6
1.0
13.78
33.0
21.3
3.4
9.59
1.9
17.2
2.0
1,443
20.1
7.85
3.9
15.7
42.2
47.4
8.9
72,689
99.1
8.38
45.4
10.61
60.1
1.19
7.5
DDITl) Dl
F5
0.79
0.03
618
2.7
4,353
99.9
10,407
99.8
17.7
0.37
4.07
9.8
591
93.1
500
97.8
831
96.6
5,236
73.0
190
95.5
19.9
53.5
406
74.4
188
0.26
7.77
42.1
4.51
25.5
13.99
88.0
'v Basis
Total
2,386
23,214
4,359
10,426
4,772
41.7
635
511
860
7,175
199
37.2
546
73,333
18.46
17.66
15.89
MHg
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
nd
0.006
0.001
0.001
0.0001
0.028
0.0004
0.010
0.005
nd
nd
0.026
0.005
0.009
0.000
0.056
0.303
0.106
0.600
0.004
0.025
76
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Table 4. Blind Intercomparison of Selective Extractions and EXAFS
Sample
Gold Mine Tailings
Total Hg = 281 pg/9
Mixed Hg Standards in Kaolin
(45.2% HgO + 18.2% HgCI2 + 36.6%
HgS)
Total Hg = 3,522 pg/g
Gold Mine Tailings
Total Hg = 635 pg/g
Selective Extraction
Fraction
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
% - /,
0.4
0.8
0.5
12.3
85.9
46.2
17.9
0.5
4.9
29.1
1.3
1.2
1.0
3.4
93.1
EXAFS
Species
HgCI2
HgO
HgS04
m-HgS
HgS
HgCI2
HgO
HgS04
m-HgS
HgS
HgCI2
HgO
HgS04
m-HgS
HgS
%
—
12
88
49
24
27
—
—
100
ng/g micrograms per gram
Discussion
In the mine site and contaminated site samples thus far studied, most of the Hg present has been found in
the F4 and F5 fractions. When combined with headspace Hg° analysis, we have usually been able to assign
the most likely fractionation as mixtures largely of elemental mercury and cinnabar. Although the percent-
age of Hg found in water soluble and organo-complexed forms is usually quite small, because the total Hg
values are very high at these sites, these samples can still contain high absolute concentrations of bioavailable
and mobile forms. For example, a mine site soil, though containing 93% HgS + Hg°, still gave a failing TCLP
value of 2,900 ^g/L, well above the approximately 50 ng/L expected from Hg° alone.
The use of EXAFS analysis has generally supported the findings of the selective extraction method, al-
though analytical limitations with each method make quantitative comparison beyond the HgS versus non-HgS
concentrations difficult for most samples. We have also encountered some ambiguity regarding metacinnabar
and the F4 fraction (Bloom, et al., 2000), which suggests that in some cases, mercury may be bound to
reduced sulfur in such an amorphous or adsorbed state, that although registering as m-HgS by EXAFS, it
nonetheless is found in the more bioavailable HNO3 soluble fraction by selective leaching. The degree of
this ambiguity appears to increase as total Hg concentrations go down, suggesting that high Hg levels (>1 00
mg/g) are necessary for the significant formation of crystalline, and thus less bioavailable, cinnabar phases.
These data also clearly provide evidence of the types of species transformations that may occur when Hg
compounds are applied to natural soils and sediments. For example, in the case of floodplain soils contami-
nated 50 years ago by soluble Hg(NO3)2, most of the Hg is now present as non-bioavailable cinnabar (CS-2).
On the other hand, when liquid Hg° was spilled on an arid mountain soil only several months ago, much of it
appears to have transformed to other, non-volatile species, as is evidenced by an equilibrium headspace
Hg° concentration well below saturation. This would be seen if liquid Hg° were present (CS-1 ). Similarly, the
soil samples from an historic cinnabar mine and retorting facility (CM 1-4) in Alaska, while still showing a
predominance of the initial species (HgS and Hg°), show significant fractions of Hg in the more bioavailable
fractions, resulting in the production of relatively high levels of methylated mercury, as well as failing (>200
TCLP results.
Transformations of Hg from one species to another are evident in cases where pure Hg compounds were
incubated with organic-rich sediments for 141 days. In all cases, there appears to be a tendency for the
added Hg speciation to evolve to a profile more like the ambient sediment Hg speciation (mostly in the F3
and F4 fractions on the unspiked sediment). Thus, Hg(ll) is rapidly distributed to the organo-complexed
fraction (CS-5), with the resultant production of high levels of methyl Hg in the sample. Although the reaction
is much slower for cinnabar, after 143 days, approximately 12% of the added HgS was found in more
bioavailable fractions (CS-6), and a smaller, but significant level of methyl Hg was produced. When the
77
-------
mine tailings (GM-1) were added to this sediment, much of the Hg was converted to the organo-complexed
fraction, and this too resulted in high levels of methyl Hg production. The implication of these findings, if
supported by future work, is that all Hg from mine sources has the potential to increase CH3Hg production if
transported to a wetland—with the major differences being in the kinetic rates of methylation, but perhaps
not final equilibrium concentrations.
Acknowledgments
We wish to thank Chris Kim of Stanford University for his analysis and interpretation of intercomparison
samples by EXAFS. We also wish to thank Elizabeth Bailey of the USGS for providing samples and ancil-
lary data from her study of the Red Devil mercury mine in southeastern Alaska.
References
Bloom, N.S., Katon, J., Kim, C.S., and Ruby, M.V. 2000. J Env Qual (in prep).
Bloom, N.S., Coleman, J.A., and Barber, L. 1997. Fres J Anal Chem. 358: 371-377.
Davis, A., Bloom, N.S., and Hee, S.Q. 1997. Risk Anal 17: 557-569.
Kim, C.S., Rytuba, J.J., and Brown, G.E. 1999. J Synch RadQ: 648-650.
USEPA. 1999. Method 1631: Mercury in Water by Oxidation, Purge and Trap, and Cold Vapor Atomic
Fluorescence Spectrometry, USEPA 821-R-95-027.
3.3.5 Speciation of Natural Mercury-Bearing Materials Using X-Ray Absorption
Spectroscopy - Christopher S. Kim, Department of Geological &
Environmental Sciences, Stanford University; James J. Rytuba, USGS;
Nicolas S. Bloom, Frontier Geosciences; and Gordon E. Brown, Jr.,
Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University
Introduction
The fate, transport, and potential bioavailability of mercury are inherently associated with its speciation in
the environment. Determining this speciation, which we define as the specific phases of mercury and the
relative proportions of these phases in a given sample, has implications for both the distribution of mercury
from its source and its incorporation into the food chain. This is due to the varying solubility and reactivity
levels of the multiple mercury phases that are known to exist in nature. The speciation of mercury is of
particular interest at point sources such as mercury mining sites and gold mining operations where mercury
was used in the gold extraction process. In addition to the different geologic modes of mercury ore deposi-
tion, the exposure, roasting, and weathering to which the large volumes of mine waste at these sites were
exposed have resulted in a wide range of mercury speciation from one mine to the next. Furthermore, as
mercury is transported from these sources, typically by rainwater, surface water, and mine drainage, it may
undergo additional transformations such as dissolution, reprecipitation, sorption to sediment particle sur-
faces, and sedimentation of mercury-bearing particles out of the aqueous phase. Such processes, com-
bined with the initial speciation of mercury, are critical factors in predicting the long-term mobility and conse-
quences of mercury in natural systems.
This study expands upon previous research by the authors exploring the ability of XAS to determine the
speciation of mercury in roasted ore (calcine) samples from mercury mines of the California Coast Range
[1]. Wastes from additional mercury mines in this region, mercury mines in Nevada, and gold mines with
associated mercury have been characterized. Mercury condenser soot and an iron oxyhydroxide precipi-
tate from acid mine drainage have also been sampled and their mercury speciation determined, the latter
through comparison with model mercury sorption systems studied in the laboratory. Additionally, a suite of
mercury-bearing samples was analyzed for speciation using both XAS and selective chemical extractions,
and the results compared. The continued investigation of a wide range of mercury-bearing materials and
the comparison of the XAS technique with other methods further confirm the validity of this method for
determining mercury speciation in natural samples.
78
-------
Methods
Sampling and speciation analysis at the mercury mines were primarily confined to calcine piles, where THg
concentrations are typically elevated to several hundred mg kg"1 (ppm). Calcines were sampled from piles
at representative mercury mines of the California Coast Range mercury mineral belt (Gambonini, New Idria,
Oat Hill, Sulfur Bank, Turkey Run) as well as mines in Nevada (Silver Cloud and Clear Creek). In addition to
calcines, mixtures of condenser soot and calcine residue were collected from mercury condensers located
at the New Almaden and Corona mines in California. An iron oxyhydroxide precipitate emerging from mine
drainage at the Knoxville mine in California was sampled. Splits of each sample were sent to ChemEx
laboratories to determine total mercury concentrations using aqua regia chemical extractions and CVAFS.
Samples featuring THg concentrations of [Hg]T = 100 ppm were empirically determined to be sufficient for
detailed speciation analysis using XAS.
A suite of six mercury-bearing samples provided by Frontier Geosciences served as the basis for an
intercomparison study of the XAS and sequential chemical extraction techniques for mercury speciation.
These samples, consisting of various gold mine tailings, fly ash from a copper smelter, and a composite of
mercury minerals were analyzed using XAS in a blind fashion, without foreknowledge of the samples' iden-
tities. Following analysis, the speciation results using XAS were compared with speciation results as deter-
mined by the selective chemical extraction procedure developed by Frontier Geosciences [2].
All samples were prepared as dry powders in Teflon XAS sample holders; if necessary, samples were
sieved to < 0.5 mm particle size and ground in a mortar and pestle prior to loading in order to avoid sample
heterogeneity. Samples were analyzed at the SSRL, where mercury Lm-edge EXAFS spectra were col-
lected at room temperature in fluorescence-yield mode with a high-throughput germanium detector.
The EXAFS region of an X-ray absorption spectrum directly reflects the structure and bonding of mercury
atoms in a given sample with their first- and second-shell neighbors. As such, the EXAFS spectrum of a
homogeneous mercury phase should be distinct from those of other pure phases. This uniqueness of
EXAFS spectra from one compound to the next permits them to be used as species "fingerprints" for the
identification of unknowns. Therefore, an EXAFS spectrum of a natural sample may be deconvoluted into
the sum of its separate components by comparison to a database of spectra compiled from individual mer-
cury compounds. Determining the relative proportion of each model spectrum's contribution to the spec-
trum of the natural sample allows quantification of the various phases present within the sample, thus com-
pleting the speciation process. This model compound database, containing the mercury EXAFS spectra of
several mercury minerals and sorption samples, was generated at Stanford University and used in all spe-
ciation analyses [1].
The linear least-squares fitting program DATFIT, which is part of the data analysis package EXAFSPAK [3],
was utilized to fit the spectra from the natural samples with combinations of the spectra in the model com-
pound database. Single-component fits to each individual spectrum in the database were first attempted to
identify significant contributors (>10% of the overall spectrum) to the fit. Using the revised subset of model
compounds, two-component fits were then attempted in a methodical manner. This iterative process was
continued until no significant contributors remained. Quantitative results were then scaled as needed to
100% in order to determine the relative proportions of the various mercury phases identified in the sample.
An example of this linear fitting procedure is shown in Figure 1, where the mercury EXAFS spectrum of a
calcine from the Turkey Run Mine is found to consist of two primary components, cinnabar (HgS, hexagonal)
and metacinnabar (HgS, cubic). These two components contribute to the overall fit in proportions of 58%
and 42%, respectively.
79
-------
3
I : l 1
Turksy Run calcino ~/\
Linear comb, fit / ^
^~V \
_ — Cinnabar
Metacinnabar / \
„-' • *•- /- \
\ x S
\--\x •, \
1 . I L
I i i
^/ t\ •«* "*"
/V ** *A* i iA
I/ \ / \
f '- / V
wf \ * rf ^/t * i-{
; .\/ v:
'' \ /
/ \ .--•./%
^ i ^ \
.•' / >, / /• v
/ \ .' / \ y
/ • \' / \
'"' " ' *\ ,j' '\ /'
i, i i
Figure 1. Linear fitting results for the Turkey Run Mine calcine, showing the natural EXAFS spectrum (black line), the linear
combination fit (gray line), and the components which contribute to the linear fit (dashed/dotted lines). In this case, the calcine is
found to consist of cinnabar and metacinnabar in proportions of 58% and 42%, respectively, when scaled to a total of 100%.
Results and Discussion
Table 1 compiles the results of speciation analyses conducted on the California and Nevada mine waste
samples. Included are THg concentrations, type locales of the deposits, quantitative speciations of mercury
in the samples, and residual values corresponding to each fit. The residual value may be a result of experi-
mental noise inherent in the data (typically due to low THg concentrations) and/or the presence of a mercury
phase that does not currently exist in the model compound database. Based on a comparison study of
known mixtures of various mercury model compounds [1], it was found that fit components should be con-
sidered accurate to ±25% of their stated value, and fit components comprising less than 10% of a fit should
be viewed with caution. This is in agreement with the results of Ostergren et al. determined from fitting the
EXAFS spectra of mixtures of lead-containing phases [4-].
80
-------
Table 1. Speciation Analyses for Mine Calcines from the California Coast Range and Nevada. Linear fitting analysis was conducted
in a k-range of 1-9 A'1 except where indicated with a *, where a k-range of 1-9 A'1 was utilized. Samples of condenser soot and
calcine residue are indicated with a A, and the Carson Creek sample was collected from a gold/silver mine where mercury was used
in the amalgamation process.
Sample Location
Aurora Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 700 ppm
Corona Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 550 ppmA
Gambonini Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 230 ppm
New Almaden Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 19500ppm*A
New Idria Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 310ppm
Turkey Run Mine, CA
[Hg]T= 1060 ppm
Oat Hill Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 940 ppm
Silver Cloud Mine, NV
[Hg]T = 7240 ppm*
Sulfur Bank Mine, CA
[Hg]T = 250 ppm
Carson Creek, NV
[Hg]T>100ppm*
Type Locale
Silica-carbonate
Silica-carbonate
Silica-carbonate
Silica-carbonate
Silica-carbonate
Silica-carbonate
Hot-spring
Hot-spring
Hot-spring
Gold/silver
Composition
56% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
26% Montroydite, HgO
18% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
50% Cinnabar,
HgS (cub)
39% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
11%Schuetteite,
HgS04
84% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
1 6% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
75% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
25% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
62% Cinnabar,
HgS (hex)
38% Schuetteite, HgSO4
58% Cinnabar,
HgS (hex)
42% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
58% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
19% Mercuric Chloride,
HgCI2
13% Corderoite, Hg3S2CI2
10% Terlinguite, Hg2OCI
84% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
16% Mercuric Chloride,
HgCI2
46% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
34% Corderoite, Hg3S2CI2
20% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
70% Cinnabar, HgS (hex)
30% Metacinnabar,
HgS (cub)
Residual
0.045
0.052
0.326
0.064
0.101
0.036
0.281
0.270
0.186
0.188
81
-------
The speciation results indicate that mercuric sulfide, either as cinnabar or metacinnabar, is the dominant
mercury species in all samples; this is consistent with the fact that cinnabar is the primary ore mineral in
mercury deposits. However, the high proportions of metacinnabar in many samples were unexpected. One
possibility is that the elevated levels of metacinnabar were generated artificially during the ore roasting
process, during which the ore was heated at temperatures in excess of the cinnabar-metacinnabar inversion
temperature of 345°C [5]. This process may also have introduced impurities that impede the conversion
back to cinnabar and are more prevalent in the metacinnabar structure [6].
In addition to mercuric sulfide, several minor mercury species have been identified in the samples, including
montroydite (HgO), schuetteite (HgSO4), and a variety of Hg-CI phases. These species are likely to be
disproportionately large contributors of mercury to the surrounding environment due to solubility levels that
are orders of magnitude higher than those of the mercuric sulfides under typical surface oxidizing condi-
tions. The accuracy of the XAS technique in identifying mercury phases can be observed when comparing
the speciation of the samples with their type locales. Hg-CI species were identified only in calcines gener-
ated from hot-spring mercury deposits, consistent with elevated levels of chloride in these local hydrother-
mal systems [7]. In contrast, samples collected from silica-carbonate mercury deposits, where high chloride
levels are absent, are distinctly lacking in Hg-CI phases as determined by XAS analysis. These results
show both a dependence of mercury speciation on the geological origin of the initial mercury ore and the
sensitivity of XAS in distinguishing between samples from the different ore types.
Results of the intercomparison study are shown in Table 2. Shading has been provided to indicate the
correlations between the XAS speciation analyses and the sequential chemical extraction analyses, which
are listed in order of increasing extraction strength. In general, the proportions of specific mercury phases
as determined by XAS matches well with the percentage of THg that is removed by the individual sequential
extractions. For example, the amount of mercury removed by aqua regia corresponds closely with the
XAS-determined proportions of Hg-sulfides (cinnabar and metacinnabar) and, in one case, mercuric se-
lenide, all of which can only be dissolved in this final step of the extraction series.
Differences between the two approaches are most pronounced in samples with the lowest initial Hg concen-
trations, i.e., GMT ([Hg]=145 ppm) and EU580 ([Hg]=127 ppm). In both cases, a phase identified by EXAFS
analysis (mercuric oxide and metacinnabar, respectively) does not match with the extraction step that re-
moved a comparable proportion of mercury from the sample. This mismatch may be due to poor crystallin-
ity, particle size effects, or the presence of impurities, each of which may affect the solubility of a phase
sufficiently to alter the extraction step at which the phase is removed from the sample. Also, analyses of
samples with mercury concentrations close to the empirical threshold of 100 ppm are expected to have
greater degrees of error in terms of species identification and their representation in a sample. Additional
studies are required in order to correlate the presence of these particular phases more accurately with their
reactivity under sequential chemical extractions.
82
-------
Table 2. Results from Intercomparison Study Between EXAFS-Determined Speciation and Speciation Determined by Sequential
Chemical Extractions. Extractions are listed in order of increasing extraction strength. Shading is provided to indicate correlations
between analyses.
SAP, copper smelter fly ash, [Hg]T = 7,539 ppm
Hg sulf ides
Mercuric ,
s^lertide
54%
48% -
water
1NHCI
1NKOH
12N HNO3
aqua regia
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
B31020, gold mine tailings, [Hg]T = 281 ppm
Schuetteite
Hg-sulfidsa
12%
88%
water
1NHCI
1NKOH
12NHNO3
aqua regia
0.4%
0.8%
0.5%
12.3%
85.9%
MMS, mixed model standards [Hg]T = 3,490 ppm
Mercyrte
qWtrWo
Mercuric
Oxicte !
Hg-suffides
jfcijKj',.
•24% : ,
27%
i/ilattr;//V
mid
1NKOH
12NHNO3
aqua regia
,4B#£. V
17.9%
0.5%
4.9%
29,1%
GMT, gold mine tailings [Hg]T = 145 ppm
Mercuric
oxide
Hg-sulfides
29%
71%
water
1N HCI
1N KOH
12NHNO3
aqua regia
7.0%
0.0%
0.0%
23.1%
69.9%
B26025, gold mine tailings, [Hg]T = 635 ppm
Hg-s«tfid»s
100%
water
1N HCI
1N KOH
12N HNO3
aqua regia
1 .3%
1 .2%
1 .0%
3.4%
93.1%
EU580, marine sediments, [Hg]T = 1 27 ppm
Metacinnabar
Cinnabar
61%
39%
water
1N HCI
1N KOH
12N HNO3
aqua regia
0.0%
0.0%
1 .0%
68.6%
30.4%
The EXAFS spectrum of a mercury-bearing sample has been proven in the previous studies to aid charac-
terization of the mercury species present in the sample. It may also be used to derive detailed molecular-scale
information such as interatomic distances, coordination number, identity of nearest neighbors around a
central mercury atom, and the degree of structural disorder. This is of particular utility in studying, at the
molecular level, the uptake mechanisms of mercury onto various mineral surfaces, a topic of ongoing study
by the authors. EXAFS investigation of a model system featuring Hg(ll) sorption to goethite (alpha-FeOOH)
has concluded that Hg(ll) is present in this system as a bidentate inner-sphere sorption complex, forming a
corner-sharing arrangement with the Fe(O,OH)6 octahedra of the goethite surface [8]. Direct comparison
with the mercury-bearing amorphous Fe-oxyhydroxide from Knoxville ([Hg]T = 220 ppm) indicates that a
similar inner-sphere sorption complex forms between mercury and the substrate. This is the first known
natural mercury sorption complex observed using XAS and has important implications for both the seques-
tration of mercury in sediments and its potential availability for methylation and subsequent ingestion by
living organisms.
83
-------
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the SSRL staff, especially the SSRL Biotechnology group, for their technical
assistance. Michael Cox, Tom Suchanek, and Mae Gustin all contributed mercury-bearing samples for this
study. This work was supported by USEPA-STAR program grant EPA-R827634-01-1.
References
(1) Kim, C. S., Rytuba, J. J., and Brown, G. E., Jr. (2000) Characterization and speciation of
mercury-bearing mine wastes using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Science of the Total
Environment 261 (1-3), 157-168.
(2) Bloom, N. S. and Katon, J. (2000) Application of Selective Extractions to the Determination of
Mercury Speciation in Mine Tailings and Adjacent Soils. Assessing and Managing Mercury from
Historic and Current Mining Activities.
(3) George, G. N. and Pickering, I. J. (1995) EXAFSPAK, a suite of computer programs for the analysis
of X-ray absorption spectra., 63 p. Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory.
(4) Ostergren, J. D., Brown, G. E., Jr., Parks, G. A., and Tingle, T. N. (1999) Quantitative speciation of
lead in selected mine tailings from Leadville, CO. Environmental Science and Technology 33(10),
1627-1636.
(5) Kullerud, G. (1965) The mercury-sulfur system. Carnegie Institution Yearbook 64, 194-195.
(6) Dickson, F. W. and Tunell, G. (1959) The stability relations of cinnabar and metacinnabar. American
Mineralogist 44(5-6), 471-487.
(7) Dickson, F. W. and Tunell, G. (1968) Mercury and antimony deposits associated with active hot
springs in the western United States. In Ore Deposits of the United States, 1933-1967, Vol. 2 (ed. J.
D. Ridge), pp. 1673-1701. The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum
Engineers, Inc.
(8) Kim, C. S., Catalano, J. G., Grolimund, D., Warner, J. A., Morin, G., Juillot, F., Galas, G. C., lldefonse,
P., Rytuba, J. J., Parks, G. A., and Brown, G. E., Jr. (2000) EXAFS Determination of the Chemical
Speciation and Sorption Processes of Hg(ll), Sr(ll), and Zn(ll) in Natural and Model Systems. Stanford
Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory.
3.4 Watershed Impairment: Defining Magnitude and Boundaries
3.4.1 MeHg in Water and Bottom Sediment Along the Carson River System,
Nevada and California, September 1998 - Karen A. Thomas, USGS
Historically, from mid- to late-1800s, large quantities of mercury were imported from several mercury mines
in northern California for use in the amalgamation of gold and silver ores of the Comstock mining area near
Virginia City, Nevada (figure 1). Bailey and Phoenix (1944, p. 5) estimated that about 200,000 flasks of
liquid mercury, each weighing 76 pounds, were imported. Although attempts were made by mill owners to
recover the mercury from the amalgam during the milling process, most escaped to the environment in mill
tailings. The tailings were deposited along several ravines tributary to the Carson River and along the river,
in the reach between Carson City and Fort Churchill. About 7,500 tons of mercury are estimated to have
been "lost" in the exposed tailings and became available to the Carson River through fluvial processes
(Smith, 1943, p. 257). Abandoned mines and geothermal springs that discharge to the river upstream from
the Dresslerville site (site 2; figure 1) also are potential sources of mercury contamination. Prior to the
construction of Lahontan Dam in 1905, episodic floods in the Carson River Basin probably flushed much of
the available mercury-laden tailings downstream to the Carson Desert (known locally as Lahontan Valley)
(Glancy and Katzer, 1976, p. 42-47), specifically to Carson Lake, Carson Sink, and wetlands in Stillwater
National Wildlife Refuge (Hoffman, 1994, p. 8). More recently, however, and partly as a result of the New
Year's flood of 1997, Hoffman and Taylor (1998) showed that 20%, or about 1 ton, of the THg load entering
84
-------
Lahontan Reservoir from January through September 1997, flowed past the dam. The spilled water subse-
quently was distributed throughout Lahontan Valley by the vast network of agricultural canals, laterals, and
drains, including several shallow regulating reservoirs inside and outside of Stillwater National Wildlife Ref-
uge.
Inorganic mercury, a known toxin and the most common form of mercury in Carson River sediments, is a
source material for MeHg , an organic compound. MeHg is a neurotoxin known to bioaccumulate in aquatic
organisms and to biomagnify up the food chain (Hoffman and Taylor, 1998). Although mercury can exist in
several chemical forms in aqueous systems, MeHg, and possibly ionic mercury (Hg+2), are considered the
most important chemical species to biological receptors. Sulfate-reducing bacteria in reducing environments
are implicated in the conversion of inorganic mercury to a methylated form making it readily available for
uptake by aquatic organisms at successively higher trophic levels (Gilmour and Henry, 1991).
Mercury concentrations in water generally increased in a downstream direction from Markleeville (site 1;
figure 1) to the point where the Carson River empties into Lahontan Reservoir (site 9). Downstream from
the reservoir, the concentrations declined somewhat but were, for the most part, still elevated. The highest
concentrations (7.83 ng/L and 9,040.00 ng/L for total methylmercury (TMeHg) and THg, respectively) were
measured at site 9. This site represents a deltaic transition zone where river water mixes with reservoir
water. The low-gradient, 5-mile reach of the river upstream from site 9 broadens laterally to form a deltaic
plain containing many oxbows and rivulets with intervening marsh lands. The lowest mercury concentra-
tions were found at the two most upstream sites (reference sites 1 and 2) on the East Fork Carson River,
more than 50 river-miles upstream from the historic Comstock milling operations. At sites 1 and 2, TMeHg
was 0.08 and 0.16 ng/L and THg was 4.94 and 3.42 ng/L respectively.
The 26-mile reach of the river from Dayton (site 5) to Lahontan Reservoir (site 9) tended to have the highest
concentrations of both TMeHg and THg compared to other sampling sites in this study. THg at 6 of the 9
sites upstream from Lahontan Reservoir (sites 4-9) exceeded the State of Nevada chronic standard of 12
ng/L for the protection of aquatic life. The acute standard of 2,000 ng/L, dissolved, was exceeded only
where the Carson River enters Lahontan Reservoir (site 9).
85
-------
EXPLANATION
Hydrography basin boundniy
Sampling rite and number
o- Hot spring
Base from U.S. Geological Sutvcy digital data: 1:100 000 scale. 1977-35
Albers Equal Area Conic Projection
Standard Parallels 29-30' and 45 30'. centra! meridian 119-00'
Figure 1. Location of sampling sites, Carson River System, Nevada and California.
86
-------
Table 1. Mercury and Organic Matter Collected Along the Carson River System, September 14-16, 1998
Site no.
(see
Figure 1)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
IS
19
Water
Dis-
charge,
w$m
130
150
135
140
110
140
140
89
..
420
C338
E50
25
22
55
22
'15
14
1.7
Temper-
atwp,
("Celsius
)
16.0
20.0
17.5
21.0
21.0
19.0
21.5
24.5
24.5
20.0
19.0
23.0
26.0
21.5
22.5
20.5
21.0
26.0
21.5
pH
(standar
d
units)
8.3
8.3
8.1
8.1
8.4
7.9
8.1
8.3
9.2
7.9
7.8
8.3
7.7
7.8
7.7
7.0
8.4
8.1
Total
mmz
fc£/L>
0.08
.16
".99
.68
".68
ib5.09
«5.09
^509
5.12
••4.86
J7.83
2.44
"2.73
3.01
.78
.85
.73
3.14
1.52
.93
1.34
2.40
Total
Hg
<*g/L)
4.74
3.42
•' 8.35
31.1
•'20.8
•239
J266
•'624
1,110
•4,110
•9,040
374
"333
370
223
221
782
103
693
202
205
48.9
me.
(»g/L)
1.3
1.5
_-
6.9
--
__
-.
4.7
--
3.2
3.1
3.5
5.1
7.7
12
7.5
5.3
5.5
6.6
Bottom Sediment, Dry Weight
Total
MsJfe
(«€/g>
0.55
2.73
—
1.21
--
—
7.35
—
1.80
1.38
.56
5.44
1.88
5.34
13.4
.74
1.34
22.3
Total
Hg
<»Ste)
45.3
66.2
—
78.4
--
—
4,130
—
1,180
4,110
204
1,040
1,640
2,540
13,100
1,370
778
654
im
(Per-
cent)
5.7
5.5
—
1.7
--
—
3.3
„
1.2
1.3
2.9
9.0
2.0
14.0
6.1
.93
.82
15.0
[Abbreviations and symbol: E, estimated; ng/g, nanograms per gram; LOI, loss on ignition; TOC, total organic carbon; --, no data.
Analysis by USGS Research Laboratory, Middleton, Wisconsin, except as noted]
'Analyzed by Frontier Geosciences, Inc., Seattle, Washington.
bldentical concentration for three sites verified by laboratory.
°Flow data provided by Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, Fallen, Nevada.
Of the 10 sites downstream from Lahontan Reservoir, TMeHg ranged from 0.73 ng/L in the inflow to Stillwater
Point Reservoir (site 14) to 3.14 ng/L in the East-West Canal outflow from the same reservoir (site 15). In
general, TMeHg concentrations downstream from Lahontan Reservoir were lower than those in the most
contaminated reach of the river upstream from the reservoir, but were still about 5 to 20 times the highest
background concentration of 0.16 ng/L. The highest TMeHg concentrations, about 3 ng/L, were found at the
outflow of Carson Diversion Dam (site 11) and the outflow from Stillwater Point Reservoir (site 15), both of
which represent wetland areas. THg at all ten sites downstream from Lahontan Reservoir greatly exceeded
the 12 ng/L (chronic) standard for the protection of aquatic life. During this survey the acute standard of 2000
ng/L was not exceeded at any of the 10 sites.
Mercury concentrations in bottom sediments of the mainstem of the Carson River increased sequentially in
the downstream direction, peaking near Fort Churchill (site 8), and declined downstream from that location
(sites 10 and 18). The highest THg concentration found on the mainstem was 4,130 ng/g at site 8 (Table 1).
87
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The lowest THg concentrations of 45.3 and 66.2 ng/g, were found at the two farthest upstream sites (sites 1
and 2).
The concentration of TMeHg in sediment was highly variable from one site to the next. The lowest concen-
tration (0.55 ng/g) was found at site 1 near Markleeville, whereas the highest concentration (22.30 ng/g) was
found near the terminus of the Carson River system in Paiute Diversion Drain below TJ Drain near Stillwater
(site 19), hereafter referred to as Paiute Diversion Drain. The elevated concentration of 2.73 ng/g of TMeHg
at site 2 near Dresslerville may reflect inputs of mercury from geothermal springs that discharge to the river
and an abandoned mercury mine in a tributary basin, Bryant Creek (Lawrence, 1998).
Sampling sites downstream from Lahontan Dam, off the mainstem of the Carson River, had TMeHg and
THg concentrations in sediment ranging from 0.56 ng/g and 204.00 ng/g, respectively, for site 12, to 22.3 ng/
g of TMeHg at Paiute Diversion Drain (site 19) and 13,100 ng/g of THg at the Stillwater Slough (site 16).
Stillwater Slough is considered a highly mercury-contaminated channel based on historical streamflow pat-
terns in the area (Hoffman, 1994, p. 8 and Figure 5). Sites 9, 11,13,15, and 17 represent wetland environ-
ments which may tend to favor mercury methylation (Hurley and others, 1995). David P. Krabbenhoft and
coworkers (USGS written commun., 1999) have found that surface area occupied by wetlands was the most
important basin-scale factor controlling MeHg production. Of the wetland sites in Lahontan Valley, the
highest concentrations of TMeHg in sediment were found in Harmon Reservoir (5.44 ng/g; site 13) and in
Stillwater Point Reservoir (5.34 ng/g; site 15). In fact, these TMeHg concentrations are among the four
highest that were found for the 10 Lahontan Valley sites.
For this survey, TMeHg overall represented about 0.2% of THg sediment concentration. With the exception
of the anomalous high TMeHgfTHg ratio for site 19 (3.4%), the highest ratios (1.2% to 4.1%) were in the
mercury-poor, upstream reach of the river system, as represented by sites 1, 2, and 4. Excluding the data
from site 19, the lowest ratios were found at the 10 sampling sites in the mercury-rich downstream part of the
river system; for the most part, these ratios were substantially less than 1% (median=0.16%). Other re-
searchers (Oremland and others, 1995; Chen and others, 1996) have suggested that TMeHg production
appears to be directly proportional to the quantity of THg present at low THg concentrations. At high THg
concentrations, little additional MeHg evidently is produced with increased concentrations of THg.
Organic carbon in sediments is important as a substrate and as an energy source for bacteria involved with
methylation of mercury (Gilmour and Henry, 1991). Sites above Lahontan Reservoir contained low organic
content (1.7% to 5.7%), which agrees with results by Chen and others (1996). Sites below Lahontan Res-
ervoir have an organic content that varies from about 1 % to 15%. The ratio of TMeHg:THg increases some-
what with increasing carbon content in bottom sediments, however, the relation is not strong (r2=0.22) with
the data widely dispersed about the trend line. Because only 22% of the variance of the TMeHg:THg ratio is
explained by the effect of organic matter, other complex biotic and abiotic factors must be involved.
The most recent pre-1997-flood data on THg in unsieved, near-surface bottom sediments (G.C. Miller, UNR,
oral commun., 1999) for the active channel appear to be those collected in January and June 1995 by Chen
and others (1996). Of the sampling sites in the present survey, only Deer Run Road (site 4) and Fort
Churchill (site 8) had sediment data to compare with the preflood concentrations in 1995. The data indicate
that THg concentrations in sediment samples collected in 1998 at these two sites were substantially lower
(50% or more) than in those collected in 1995. The 1998 data also were lower than the historic (1970-98)
median concentrations for these two sites (site 4, median=710 ng/g, n=11; site 8, median=6,870 ng/g, n=7).
The apparent reduction of concentration in the 1998 samples may have been caused naturally owing to the
scouring action of the flood and the two subsequent spring runoffs of 1997 and 1998, and succeeding
sediment deposition. Another possibility is an artifact owing to differences in sampling and analytical meth-
odologies (for example, particle-size class on which chemical analysis was done), or both. However, the
true cause of this reduction of concentration is difficult to discern with available data.
In summary, mercury in water increased in the downstream direction through the highly contaminated reach
of the river from Dayton to Lahontan Reservoir. Downstream from the reservoir, mercury concentrations
tended to decrease in the downstream direction, but still were greatly elevated compared to upstream back-
ground concentrations. In water upstream from Lahontan Reservoir, maximum concentrations of TMeHg
were 7.83 ng/L and of THg were 9,040.00 ng/L. Downstream from the reservoir, maximum concentrations of
TMeHg 3.14 ng/L and of THg were 782.00 ng/L. The upstream background concentrations in water were a
maximum of 0.16 ng/L of TMeHg and 4.74 ng/L of THg. Bottom sediment upstream of Lahontan Reservoir
88
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had maximum concentrations of TMeHg of 7.35 ng/g and THg of 4,130.00 ng/g. For sites downstream from
the reservoir, the maximum concentration of TMeHg in sediment was 22.3 ng/g. The maximum concentra-
tion of THg was 13,100 ng/g. The upstream background concentrations in bottom sediment were a maxi-
mum concentration of only 2.73 ng/g and 66.2 ng/g of TMeHg and THg, respectively.
References
Bailey, E.H., and Phoenix, D.A. 1944. "Quicksilver Deposits in Nevada," University of Nevada Bulletin,
Geology and Mining Series 41, p. 206.
Chen, Yuan, Bonzongo, J.C., and Miller, G.C. 1996. "Levels of Methylmercury and Controlling Factors in
Surface Sediments of the Carson River System, Nevada." Environmental Pollution, v. 92, pp. 281 -
287.
Gilmour, C.C., and Henry, E.A. 1991. "Mercury Methylation in Aquatic Systems Affected by Acid
Deposition." Environmental Pollution, v. 71, pp. 131-169.
Glancy, P.A., and Katzer, T.L. 1976. "Water-Resources Appraisal of the Carson River Basin, Western
Nevada." Nevada Division of Water Resources, Reconnaissance Report 59, p. 126.
Hoffman, R.J. 1994. "Detailed Study of Irrigation Drainage In and Near Wildlife Management Areas,
West-Central Nevada, 1987-90. Part C. Summary of Irrigation Drainage Effects on Water Quality,
Bottom Sediment, and Biota." USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 92-4024C, p. 32.
Hoffman, R.J., and Taylor, R.L. 1998. "Mercury and Suspended Sediment, Carson River Basin, Nevada-
Loads to and from Lahontan Reservoir in Flood Year 1997 and Deposition in Reservoir Prior to
1983." USGS Fact Sheet FS-001-98, p. 6.
Hurley, J.P., Benoit, J.M., Babiarz, C.L., Shafer, M.M., Andren, A.W., Sullivan, J.R., Hammond, R., and
Webb, D.A. 1995. "Influences of Watershed Characteristics on Mercury Levels in Wisconsin
Rivers." Environmental Science and Technology, v. 29, pp. 1867-1875.
Oremland, R.S., Miller, L.G., Dowdle, Philip, Connell, Tracy, and Barkay, Tamar. 1995. "Methylmercury
Oxidative Degradation Potentials in Contaminated and Pristine Sediments of the Carson River,
Nevada." Applied and Environmental Microbiology, v. 61, pp. 2745-2753.
Smith, G.H. 1943. "The History of the Comstock Lode, 1850-1920." University of Nevada Bulletin^. 37,
no. 3, p. 305.
3.4.2 The Impact of Mercury Mining on Tomales Bay Biota - Dyan C. Whyte,
California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region
and Priya M. Ganguli, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San
Francisco Bay Region
Tomales Bay, located in the Gulf of the Farallons National Marine Sanctuary, provides winter habitat for
thousands of migratory waterfowl and is renowned for its fishery and oyster beds. Preliminary studies in the
Tomales Bay watershed suggest that discharges from the inoperative Gambonini mercury mine have re-
sulted in elevated mercury concentrations in biota. The mine, located approximately 60 km north of San
Francisco, was an open pit mercury mine that generated over 300,000 cubic meters (m3) of waste. Drain-
age from the mine goes to Walker Creek, the second largest tributary to Tomales Bay. Water quality studies
suggest that hundreds to thousands of kilograms of mercury have been discharged from the mine site to
downstream waters since mining ceased in 1972 (Whyte, 1998) (Whyte and Kirchner, 2000).
In an effort to mitigate mercury transport from the Gambonini mine, the USEPA and the California Regional
Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) initiated an emergency Superfund cleanup action. The goal
of the project, started in October 1998, was to eliminate, to the maximum extent feasible, the discharge of
mercury-laden sediments from the 12-acre mining waste pile. The remediation effort entailed constructing
a gravity buttress (to stabilize the failing waste pile), installing storm water runoff diversion structures, and
89
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revegetating the area with native plants (Smelser and Whyte, 2000). In the winter of 1999, the Regional
Board began a 5-year post-remediation monitoring program to evaluate the net environmental benefits of
the project.
The fate of the mercury-laden mine sediments previously discharged remains a significant environmental
concern. Over-bank and flood-plain deposits along Walker Creek, and the salt marshes and intertidal mudflats
in the Walker Creek Delta, are potentially storing much of the mercury released from the Gambonini mine.
Thus, the environmental impacts of mercury on downstream ecosystems are yet to be fully realized. In
conjunction with monitoring water quality, we are evaluating the spatial distribution of mercury (total and
MeHg) in estuarine sediments and biota, with the goal of preventing harmful effects to humans through the
consumption of seafood and determining whether measures can be taken to mitigate adverse effects to
wildlife.
Bay sediment mercury concentrations in the Walker Creek Delta (measured in the spring of 1999) were as
high as 13 ppm and decreased with distance from Walker Creek. In a followup study (May 2000) we
sampled intertidal sediments at 11 locations in the Walker Creek Delta by collecting 2 to 3 shallow cores, 5
m apart, and sectioning the cores into 1 cm, 2-5 cm, and 6-10 cm depths (a total of 98 samples). The mean
mercury concentration (± one standard error) for the entire sample set was 1.5 ± 0.2 ppm. Individual samples
ranged from 7.60 to 0.06 ppm. MeHg concentrations averaged 0.0015 ± 0.0002 ppm and ranged from
0.01140 to 0.00001 ppm. High MeHg concentrations were not correlated with high mercury concentrations:
sediment samples with mercury concentrations greater than 3.2 ppm had relatively low MeHg concentra-
tions. Sediments at 5 of the 11 locations (HP-S, HP-Preston, HP-N, OR-Mud, and OR-lsland) exhibited
statistically higher MeHg concentrations. MeHg concentrations were also higher in the top 1 cm of sediment
and in sediments containing from 0.3 to 3.2 ppm THg. The elevated MeHg concentrations in the top 1 cm
were most pronounced at stations where green algal mats occurred. The presence of these mats may
enhance the oxygenated zone, thereby promoting optimal mercury methylation conditions (Gagnon et al.,
1996).
Limited data on mercury concentrations in Tomales Bay biota (Whyte, 1998) suggest a strong spatial trend
in mercury uptake consistent with sediment concentration trends. Resident bivalves (cockles) harvested
from the Walker Creek Delta contained up to 0.34 ppm (wet weight) mercury while cockles harvested at the
McDonald sediment sampling location (11 km south of Walker Creek) contained only 0.05 ppm mercury.
Similarly, mercury concentrations in mussels transplanted in the Walker Creek Delta for three months during
the 1996/97 rainy season ranged from 0.044 to 0.055 ppm (wet weight), while mussels transplanted in
Tomales Bay north and south of the Delta ranged from 0.033 to 0.036 ppm. Mercury concentrations in
commercial oysters grown in floating bags or on platforms in Tomales Bay for 1 to 2 years were all well below
the FDA action level (1.0 ppm wet weight) and ranged from 0.029 to 0.049 ppm (wet weight). Mercury
concentrations in cockles harvested from the Delta were almost an order of magnitude greater than those
measured in the oysters and mussels. This is most likely because the cockles reside in the mercury-enriched
sediments, while our transplanted mussels and the commercial oysters were suspended above the bay
floor.
In an effort to better elucidate the potential for mercury bioaccumulation in biota proximal and distant to the
Walker Creek Delta, we sampled intertidal invertebrates, at three of our sediment coring locations: HP-Dock
and HP-S (in the Walker Creek Delta), and McDonald (11 km south of the Delta). Mercury concentration
trends among the invertebrate species sampled likely reflect differences in their habitats and diets. The
species exhibiting the highest mercury concentration was the introduced eastern mudsnail (Nassarius
obseletus) (0.6 ppm, dry weight), which was abundant at HP-Dock. The mudsnail is an omnivore and eats
the eggs and juveniles of the native snail, Cerithidea californica, and burrowing polycheate worms. It is also
an herbivorous deposit feeder. Nassarius obseletus was not present at our other two invertebrate sampling
locations. The burrowing ghost shrimp (Callianassa californiensis), abundant at the HP-S and HP-Dock
locations, also contained relatively high mercury levels (0.39 - 0.45 ppm), as did the shorecrabs, pachygrapsus
crassipes (0.45 ppm) and hemigrapsus oregonensis (0.27 - 0.31 ppm). The ghost shrimp are believed to
predominately feed on organic detritus and microorganisms sifted from the mud. The shorecrabs are largely
herbivores, as their main food source is algae. They will occasionally feed on dead animal matter, detritus,
diatoms, and living prey such as limpets and snails. Shorecrabs (pachygrapsus crassipes) collected from
the HP-S location contained 6 times more mercury than shorecrabs from McDonald, possibly reflecting the
14-fold increase in the top 1 cm MeHg concentration measured at HP-S relative to McDonald. The white
bubble snail, Haminoea virescens, was sporadically abundant under clumps of the green algae, Diva lactuca,
90
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at both the HP-Dock and HP-S locations. The Haminoea are believed to be herbivorous, but little is known
about their diet. Mercury concentrations in the Haminoea and Ulva samples were below the detection level.
The mercury concentration in an Ulva sample from the McDonald area was also below the detection level.
This data set suggests that estuarine invertebrate omnivores accumulate more mercury than herbivores
and algae. Detailed studies are needed to better understand species feeding habits, and the link between
sediment MeHg concentrations and invertebrate mercury uptake.
In addition to the invertebrate sampling, we sampled the ten most commonly caught and consumed fish
species in Tomales Bay. Top-level predators and bottom dwelling fish contained higher mercury concentra-
tions than other species. Mean mercury concentrations were highest in brown smooth hound sharks (1.31
± 0.07 ppm wet weight) and leopard sharks (1.09 ± 0.08 ppm), followed by bat rays (0.56 ± 0.08), angel
sharks (0.43 ± 0.06), halibut (0.26 ± 0.02), redtail surf perch (0.16 ± 0.04), shiner surf perch (0.10 ± 0.01),
and jack smelt (0.06 ± 0.01). These concentrations are similar to mercury concentrations measured in fish
from San Francisco Bay (SFEI, 1999), an estuary impaired by historic gold and mercury mining. The Cali-
fornia Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment has issued an interim health advisory for
people consuming fish from San Francisco Bay and is currently considering a fish consumption advisory for
Tomales Bay. Mercury fish data from both bays exhibit similar trends; for example, shark mercury concen-
trations increase with fish size (a surrogate for age). Additional information is needed on the feeding and
migratory habits of these fish to determine aquatic food chain bioaccumulation factors.
Tomales Bay is an example of how a water body, once thought to be pristine, can be degraded by a small
mine if mining wastes are not properly disposed. The outcome of our post-remediation monitoring efforts
may be useful for assessing remediation strategies at other mines. In addition, results of our on-going
watershed studies will contribute to understanding mercury cycling, bioavailability, and food web dynamics
in complex estuarine ecosystems.
References
Gagnon, C., Pelletier, E., Mucci, A., and Fitzgerald, W.F. 1996. "Diagenetic Behavior of Methylmercury in
Organic-Rich Coastal Sediments." Limnology and Oceanography, 41, pp. 428^434.
San Francisco Estuary Institute, 1999. Contaminant Concentrations in Fish from San Francisco Bay 1997.
San Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, CA, 65 pp.
Smelser G.M., Whyte D.C. 2000. "Remediation of the Gambonini Mine, Marin County, California." In
Engineering Geology Practice in Northern California. Ferriz, H., (ed.), (in press).
Whyte D.C., Kirchner J.W. 2000. "Assessing Water Quality Impacts and Cleanup Effectiveness in Streams
Dominated by Episodic Mercury Discharges." The Science of the Total Environment, 260, pp. 1-9.
Whyte D.C., 1998. "The Gambonini Mercury Mine - Water Quality Threats and Remediation Alternatives."
California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region, Staff Summary
Report, Oakland, California; 15 pp.
3.4.3 Mercury in Native Metal Deposits: "Focusing Troughs" Reveal an
Unexpected Source to Lake Superior Sediments - W. Charles Kerfoot and
S.L. Harting, Lake Superior Ecosystem Research Center, and Department
of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University; Ronald
Rossmann, USEPA; and John A. Robbins, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental
Research Laboratory
The perception that the Lake Superior watershed is influenced largely by long-distance transport of contami-
nants can be misleading. Along the shoreline, a high-energy coastal zone focuses terrestrial inputs into
marginal troughs. Therefore, sampling only the central, deepest sediments misses these important anthro-
pogenic contributions. Many of the sources are from mining operations which exploited the rich mineral
resources of the basin for over 150 years, leaving tailing piles and abandoned smelters scattered through-
out much of the watershed.
91
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Mercury and copper inventories are low in central Lake Superior, increase toward shorelines and are highly
correlated with copper and silver inventories, suggesting fine particle transport from terrigenous sources.
Higher inventories are found in coastal troughs near mining regions, tripling previous estimates for mercury
storage in Lake Superior sediments. In the Keweenaw Peninsula region, high mercury, copper, and silver
inventories can be traced back to shoreline stamp sand piles, the parent native metal ores, and to smelters.
Mercury is found in both copper and silver ores, but concentrations are consistently higher in Keweenaw
native silver than in native copper, differing by an order of magnitude. Mercury concentrations are very low
(< 5 ng g-1) in the basaltic parent rock. Mercury was not imported into the region for amalgamation extrac-
tion of the Keweenaw Peninsula copper ore lodes, but was used for silver ores in the Silver City District and
for gold ores in the Negaunee area in the central Upper Peninsula.
Mercury occurs as a natural amalgam in the native metals (copper, silver) mined in the Keweenaw Penin-
sula and was liberated as volatile Hgo during on-site smelting. The silver-enriched native copper deposits
contain relatively high concentrations of mercury. Stamp mills operating in the Keweenaw Peninsula region
alone discharged a minimum of 364 metric tons of tailings or "stamp sand" and regional smelters refined five
million metric tons of native copper, the two sources together liberating an estimated 42 metric tons of
mercury. Adding a conservative estimate of mercury contained in on-site poor rock piles raises the total to
an estimated 116 metric tons of mercury.
The Keweenaw Peninsula deposits are by no means unique. We discovered that mercury commonly oc-
curs in metal ore deposits as a trace constituent in the Lake Superior region (copper, silver, gold). "Arquerite"
or mercurian silver, a natural mercury-silver amalgam, was noted previously at the Silver Islet Mine in Ontario.
Cannon and Woodruff (1999), found that tailings piles from copper mining on Isle Royale contained up to 14
jxg g~1 of mercury, similar to our reported range from the Keweenaw Peninsula. Again, the basalt bedrock
had very low mercury concentrations (< 5 ng g-1). Their research also found elevated copper and mercury
anomalies in soil profiles adjacent to mine sites. Near the Minong Mine, BC-horizon soils ranged up to 1160
mg g1 copper and 220 ng g~1 mercury. A-horizon soils averaged 290 mg g-1 copper and 70 ng g-1 mercury.
The Isle Royale results are important in that the strata are connected to the Keweenaw Peninsula ore bodies
through a syncline relationship, independently verifying mercury in the Portage Volcanic Series ore bodies.
Assays of voucher specimens from Greenstone Formation ores in Ontario document the widespread inci-
dence of mercury in regional silver and gold deposits (silver mines 6.8 + 4.2 jig g1, gold mines 7.5 + 9.3 ^g
g~1). Mercury also is commonly present in silver, gold, copper, and lead deposits worldwide. Mercury was
also imported for amalgam extraction in many Ontario precious metal mining districts such as the Lake
Nipigon, Manitouwadge, and Marathon-Michipicoten regions.
Total surficial fluxes of mercury to Lake Superior, derived from sediment cores, range from 0.1-10.0 ng cm2
yr1 (mean + 95% CL, 3.2 + 0.5 ng cm'2 yr1), whereas surficial copper fluxes range from 1.1 to 19.9 mg cm'2
yr1 (5.0 + 2.5 mg crrr2 yr1). Taking into account measurements of atmospheric loadings, only 29-49% of
mercury and from 2-13% of copper loadings to Lake Superior sediments can be attributed to atmospheric
loading although smelters were important point sources near the Keweenaw Peninsula. At present, shore-
line sources dominate loading, accounting for an estimated 51-71% of mercury and from 87-98% of copper
loadings to Lake Superior sediments. The greatest concern by the presence of mercury-containing mine
waste deposited in and near watersheds is the conversion of the mineral-bound mercury to the more
bioavailable methylated forms in wetland regions or in organic-rich sediments. A recent study by Jeong et
al. (1999) of Keweenaw Waterway mine waste reveals that native copper within the mine waste slowly
leaches from the tailings and is reprecipitated as soluble forms such as malachite and azurite on the surface
of the tailings particles. As mercury is associated with the native copper, it can be assumed that mercury is
being leached from these particles as well.
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3.5 Air Emissions and Air Impact Assessment
3.5.7 Uncertainties in Mass Balance of U.S. Atmospheric Mercury Emissions -
Leonard Levin (Presenter), EPRI; Paul Chu, EPRI; and Christian
Seigneur, AER
Introduction
Mercury sources to air within the continental U.S. are thought to total about 140 megagrams per year (Mg/
yr) (EPRI, 2000a), of a North American total of about 205 Mg/yr. Ionic state of mercury at emission is critical
to deposition patterns: covalent mercury, Hg(ll), is water soluble with an atmospheric lifetime of hours to
days; elemental mercury, Hg(0), has a lifetime of 1-2 years before oxidizing and dissolving in precipitation.
The primary source of current mercury input to many U.S. water bodies is believed to be atmospheric
deposition (Engstrom & Swain, 1998). Of this deposition, an unknown portion is made up of regional and
local atmospheric emissions from U.S. point sources, and the balance from globally-circulating mercury
from both U.S. and international atmospheric sources. These proportions may be about 60 and 40% re-
spectively, at least for northern tier U.S. states. Speciation of industrially emitted mercury is similarly uncer-
tain; a common default assumption is that 50% is in each ionic form when emitted from combustion sources
(USEPA, 1998). That speciation is likely to impact the fraction that is transported beyond local scale. Calcu-
lations indicate that, for a combustion source stack height of 300m, less than 20% of the emitted mass of
mercury will deposit within a radius of 50km even under the assumption that it is all ionic.
Additional data are also required on the distribution of background sources geographically, and the nature of
the mercury emissions from them: how episodic, whether covalent or elemental, etc. Although rough calcu-
lations scaled by land area indicate background emissions might make up some 120 tons per year (t/yr)
additional input to the atmosphere, local deposition may account for 50% or more of this, so that only 50-60
t/yr need be considered in the continental mass balance.
Recent measurements in Ontario, California, Nevada, and Tennessee have begun to quantify background
emissions as an additional source of mercury into the North American balance. The background sources
can be considered in two classes: natural background, and areas previously subject to anthropogenic activ-
ity, such as mining sites or mineral processing facilities. These latter "legacy" sites may be widely distrib-
uted. In addition, re-emission of deposited mercury may occur anywhere, including the subcategories mak-
ing up background areas.
Current measurement data at background U.S. and Canadian sites for wet deposition are not yet sufficiently
long or dense enough to act as a control on the emissions inventory. Modeling exercises combining regional
and local scales spatially can be well-matched in general to these monitoring data (Seigneur et al., 1996),
but still are too uncertain to act as a test of either model dynamics or inventories.
Anthropogenic Emissions and Contributions to Deposition
New measurements on mercury in coal burned by U.S. electric utilities, and on the concentrations and
valence state of mercury emitted by a set of those utility plants, has shown that about 40% of the mercury
coming into all U.S. plants as a whole is removed by control devices or flue gas constituents during combus-
tion (EPRI, 2000b). Nationally, about 52% of the emitted mercury is in the elemental Hg(0) form, about 46%
is ionic Hg(ll), and the balance is particle bound.
These 1999 datum measurements were used to derive national, continental, and global inventories of mer-
cury (Tables 1 and 2); for source categories other than coal utilities, earlier estimates of emissions were
updated based on re-surveys of source operators (for U.S. sources) or on recent data on economic activity
and particular source category changes (for non-U.S. sources).
93
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Table 1. Global Anthropogenic Emissions of Mercury, All Sources, by Valence State, per Continent (Mg/yr)
Continent
North America
South & Central America
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Total
Hg<0)
110.9
151.7
268.6
559,7
123.1
24.1
123&1
Hg(D)
80.0
14.7
149.2
334.1
73.8
145
666.3
Hg(p)
14,1
9.8
90.5
22US
49.2
9.7
396.7
TotalHg
205.0
176.2
508.3
11172
246.1
48.3
2301.1
Table 2. Anthropogenic Mercury Emissions, by Category, for Central North America (Mg/yr)
Source Categoiy
Elech ic Utilities
Ir on Processing
Waste Incineration
Residential, Commercial, &
Industrial Coal Burning
Mining
Chloi alkali Facilities
Other Sources
Total
H.g(0)
Hg(II)
Hg(p)
U.S.
409
153
28 S
12S
64
61
301
140.6
"56
5S5
6 5
Sou them
CitUiidii
13
03
US
03
00^
94
147
8 7
3 S
•> •>
Noithem
Mexico
99
236
33.5
173
112
50
Totnl
521
156
322
12S
67
62
632
1888
1016
73 5
13 7
These source inventories were used to simulate ground-level concentrations and total (wet + dry) deposition
of total [Hg(0) + Hg(ll) +Hg(part)] mercury, using a global chemical transport model and an Eulerian regional
model called Trace Element Assessment Model, or TEAM. The results of these simulations are shown in
figures 1 and 2.
94
-------
I t»i»«t*»
Figure 1. Observed vs. simulated wet deposition, all MDN stations by state. Simulated values based on grid cell averages for cells
containing MDN stations (1998).
A sensitivity test of the modeling framework was performed to assess the potential impacts on total deposi-
tion within the continental U.S. of altered emissions from distant sources, and of the contributions of distant
sources to U.S. deposition under current emissions.
The first scenario used the global model to assess changes in deposition at U.S. locations if Asian anthropo-
genic mercury emissions were to drop by 50%, then used resulting values of that model (which has a grid
spacing of 100 km zonally by 80 km meridionally) as boundary conditions on the TEAM regional model (40
by 40 km spacing). The results of this simulation are shown in Figure 3.
95
-------
l ':
»l Hi
MY Til
»!«*•
ITT Wl
Figure 2. Observed (diamonds) vs. simulated (lines) ground-level concentrations of total mercury, by state, for various special
measurement studies. Vertical lines represent ranges of values, horizontal line arithmetic mean, for grid cells spanning states.
5 to 10
10 to 20
20 to 25
Figure 3. Percent changes in total deposition of total mercury for asian anthropogenic emissions reduction by 50%.
96
-------
The second scenario was a sensitivity test of the global model, in which sequential model runs zeroed out
continental emissions and assessed deposition at the model scale throughout the U.S. Difference fields
were generated for each run between the base case with all sources "turned on", and the sensitivity case
with each continent off, to develop continental contributions to local deposition. This is shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Estimated Contribution of Different Source Regions to Total Mercury Deposition Fluxes (|xg/m2/yr) in Wisconsin, New York
State, and Florida
Source Region
Anthropogenic:
North American
South American
Western Europe
East em Em ope
Africa
Asia
Oceania
Total Anthropogenic;
Background:
Total:
Wisconsin*
4.64
0,33
0.54
0.86
0.22
2.22
0.05
8.86
9.26
iai2
New York State
4.39
0.36
0.62
0.97
0.25
2.40
0,06
9.05
10.14
19.19
Florida
US4
0.42
0.46
0.71
0.24
2.38
0.06
7,71
8,85
16,56
* did cell includes en stern Wisconsin and Michigan
Contributions of Background Emissions to U.S. Deposition
In these anthropogenic mercury emission calculations, background emissions from natural and "legacy"
U.S. sources were not explicitly evaluated, but instead included as a 1.6 ng/m3 background contribution.
Field measurements of emission rates from natural and anthropogenically-impacted background areas show
a wide variability in rates of emission of total gaseous mercury with terrain characteristics, the occurrence of
precipitation onto the surface, and other factors. Measurements in west-central Nevada in 1997 (Gustin et
al., 1999) showed increased outgassing of THg following precipitation events (Poissant et al., 1999). It is
still uncertain whether this is simple replacement of pore-space mercury gas by liquid water, or a more
complex surficial action with hydrophilic Hg(ll) remaining behind while hydrophobic Hg (0) is released.
Extension of these point measurements of background mercury in time and space is highly speculative at
this time, since no general scheme for assigning outgassing rates to terrain characteristics is yet available.
One extrapolation to the area of the continental U.S. yields background emission rates roughly equal to the
total of current U.S. industrial emissions. Another extrapolation from Ontario measurements of mercury
emissions from black shale yielded rates sufficient to explain a good portion of station-monitored atmo-
spheric concentrations in northeastern states (Pai et al., 1999).
The control on a mass balance of U.S.-emitted mercury is the set of data on ground-level atmospheric
concentrations and deposition nationally. Monitoring and sampling networks are only now beginning to reach
spatial density and time extent that allow patterns and trends to begin to be discerned (NADP, 1999). These
are still inadequate to provide good closure on goodness-of-fit for regional or local models of atmospheric
mercury transport and deposition, and so these tools remain highly uncertain for purposes of assessing
source-receptor relationships.
To simulate the contributions that might be made to these data by background sources, a simple box model
was used. The model adopted a 6 km mixing height for mercury, and assumed no chemistry. Background
emissions were taken as a uniform 2 nanograms per square meter per hour (ng/m2/hr) for the entire U.S. A
speciation was assumed of 90% Hg(0)/10% Hg(ll). Hg(ll) emissions were deposited out at the rate of 3%
per 10 km east of 90W, and 1 % per 10 km west of 90W longitude, taken as the dividing meridian between
high and low annual precipitation rates.
97
-------
When these contributions are compared to 1998 data from the MDN stations, background contributions are
found to range from 4-7% of total wet deposition in the east, but 10-12% in the west. These differences are
due to the lower deposition values (and sparser coverage) in the western U.S.
References
Allan M A, Levin L, Porcella D, Yager J, Wyzga R, Chang R, Chu P, Nott B, Toole-O'Neil B (1996), Mercury
in the Environment - A Research Update. Palo Alto, EPRI.
Engstrom, D.R.,and E.B. Swain, Environ. Sci. Technol. 1997, 31, 960-967.
EPRI (2000a), Assessment of Mercury Emissions, Transport, Fate, and Cycling for the Continental United
States: Model Structure and Evaluation, TR-1000522.
EPRI (2000b), An Assessment of Mercury Emissions from U.S. Coal-fired Power Plants, EPRI TR-1000608.
Gustin M S, Lindberg S L, Allan M A (1999), J. Geophys. Res. 104: 21829-21830.
Poissant L, Pilote M, CasimirA(1999), J. Geophys. Res. 104: 21845-21858.
3.5.2 The History of Mercury Emissions from the New Almaden Mines, Santa
Clara County, California - Michael F. Cox, New Almaden Quicksilver
County Park Assn.
Visible waste products from mercury ore mining and processing that may be present at an abandoned mine
site are: equipment, mine drainage, tailings from the ore processing (roasted ore is called calcines), and
waste rock from ore mining. Investigations of pollution at mercury mines necessarily focus on these sources.
Air emissions of mercury from mineralized rock and soil have long been of interest for prospecting and more
recently for site mitigation. Overlooked in most site mitigation studies, however, are the effects of historic air
emissions from ore reduction operations.
A cursory review of records and scientific studies concerning mining and pollution at New Almaden mine in
Santa Clara County, California verifies that historical air emissions from ore roasting operations are poten-
tially significant sources of pollution at larger mines. Recommended are additional investigations to sub-
stantiate the effect of historic air-borne emissions on district soils and waterways. This is an important issue
to consider in the preparation of the Total Maximum Daily Load program for Guadalupe River watershed,
discussed in separate conference1 papers by others.
The New Almaden mine is located in Almaden Quicksilver County Park, a 4,200-acre park twelve miles
southwest of San Jose, California. The New Almaden mine (actually a group of seven adjacent mines)
operated from 1846 until late-1975, when the mines were closed and the property sold to the Santa Clara
County Parks and Recreation Department.
The New Almaden mines rank among the world's richest, having remarkably produced 15.6 flasks of mer-
cury (76 Ibs. each) for each linear meter of the approximately 725 hectometers (45 miles) of workings in the
mines. New Almaden is the largest mercury mine in North America and fifth largest in the world. Table 1
summarizes the production of the world's largest mercury mines through 1977. Table 2 summarizes the
production data for the mine in five-year intervals. Figure 1 presents the Table 2 data in graphical form.
98
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Table 1. Summary of the Total Production of the World's Largest Mercury Mines Through 1977(1)
Mine or District
Almaden, Spain
Monte Am fata, Italy
Id Ma, Yugoslavia
Huancaveltea, Peru
New Almaden, U.S.
Newldria, U.S.
Rest of U.S.
Rest of World
Total
Product, Kg
271,000,000
104,000,000
102,000,000
52,000,000
38,000,000
20,000,000
64,000,000
188,000,000
839,000,000
Percent of Total
32%
12%
12%
6%
5%
2%
8%
22%
100%
76-lb. Flasks
7,861,220
3,016,852
2,958,836
1,508,426
1,102,311
580,164
1,856,524
5,453,540
24,337,873
(2)
Year
1850
1855
1860
1865
1870
1875
1880
1885
1890
1895
1900
1905
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
Ore Treated,
KgX10A6
6.56
21.86
18.25
54.10
54.21
40.89
117.48
172.83
123.81
117.61
159.83
151.64
185.73
54.49
57.41
0.00
30.13
0.95
70.49
124.10
0.72
3.11
24.33
42.91
77.60
12.40
Hg Product,
KgX10A<5
2.14
4.89
3.59
6.15
3.24
2.75
3.93
3.74
1.96
1.08
0.87
0.56
0.90
0.53
0.41
0.00
0.20
0.02
0.18
0.19
0.01
0.06
0.11
0.25
0.27
0.06
5-year Avg.
Grade, %
32.62
22.37
19.67
11.37
5.98
6.73
3.35
2.16
1.58
0.92
0.54
0.37
0.49
0.97
0.71
0
0.66
2.11
0.26
0.15
1.39
1.93
0.45
0.58
0.35
0.48
Cummulative
Ore, Kg X
10A<5
6.56
28.42
46.67
100.77
154.98
195.87
313.35
486.18
609.99
727.60
887.43
1,039.07
1,224.80
1,279.29
1,336.70
1,336.70
1,366.83
1,367.78
1,438.27
1,562.37
1,563.09
1,566.20
1,590.53
1,63US4
1,711.04
1,723.44
Cummulative
Hg,KgX
10^6
2.14
7.03
10.62
16.77
20.01
22.76
26.69
30.43
32.39
3US7
34.34
34.90
35.80
36.33
36.74
36.74
36.94
36.96
37.14
37.33
37.34
37.40
37.51
37.76
38.03
38.09
Cummulative
Grade, %
32.62
24.74
22.76
16.64
12.91
11.62
8.52
6.26
5.31
4.60
3.87
3.36
2.92
2.84
2.75
2.75
2.70
2.70
2.58
2.39
2.39
2.39
2.36
2.31
2.22
2.21
99
-------
On Trttud tttd H( Product d in K(x 18"«; tad i-Y«« Aniijs 8x%d<
Miw Alaid«n Mint, S»nt» CUri County, ClltfomU
« from Cw«il, «t. »!,. IMS, lirof ,tt trim it iff *«* HmvrietlDiti: Uetcirf, , fatC*te
y. Vol. It, Ho. S.pp
1,008.00
108.08
10.80
1.88
0.10
a=£5ESSdpBaR£aS^Si=S*~~a=;
_ _-jff—^-ztgpz^:—______
0,01 ^_-
-OSE TREATED ,Kjx 10*6 __4_Hj PR OD UC T, K( x 10"6 --^. . i-YE AS AVO . OK A& E.
Figure 1a. Production from the New Almaden mines in five-year intervals (2).
C um mu Utive Qjr*
N«w Almid «K Ilinti, S tnti C lti» C omaljr, Cilifortui
j»W Ir#» C^r^l), «t »!., 1490, Jttf*fft# Xrtt* ««*• //*» ffiturtittt J»»##. M*tt*f?r * ft* G*t*
i«:Kaaw, Vol. 12, Ho. 5, pp. 489-521
10,000 00
1,000.00 4
100.00
10.00
1.08
|-B_ CUNMULXTIVE ORE, Kg x 10n(5 — 4^- C UMMULATIVK Hg, Kg x 10rt 6 --jt - CUMMULATIVE ORA&E,
Figure 1b. Cumulative production from the New Almaden mines in five-year intervals (2).
The New Almaden mines are well documented, and have been the subject of numerous mining, geologic,
and environmental investigations. The types of general mercury losses associated with mining activity at
New Almaden are summarized in Table 3. The table is not meant to be exhaustive in detail. This paper
focuses on fugitive air emissions from the primary furnace plants.
100
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In 1987, concern about potential mining waste impacts resulted in the park being placed under a Remedial
Action Order (RAO) from the California DISC. Pursuant to the RAO, potential impacts to air, soil, water,
vegetation, and park users were assessed by field studies between 1987 and 1994. The results are sum-
marized in the Remedial Investigation (3), Risk Assessment (4), Feasibility Study (5), and Remedial Action
Plan (6). As a result of the studies, in 1997 through 1998, a three-foot cap of clay soil was placed over
calcines in five areas. Remedial action goals for the areas of mine waste range from 300 mg/kg to 500 mg/
kg, depending on the area. The risk assessment determined the goals to be protective of park visitors and
children under different exposure scenarios. Ecological remediation goals were not established, but the
need to control soil erosion was noted in order to prevent the potential bioaccumulation of mercury from
eroded mine waste and soil.
The California State Water Resources Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region is interested in the ecologi-
cal aspects of all sources of environmental mercury in the Guadalupe watershed, and not just mining waste.
The Board is currently hosting "stakeholder" meetings to arrive at a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for
potential discharges to the watershed. The goal is to reduce sediment and water mercury concentrations to
levels that protect human health and wildlife by preventing bioaccumulation above target thresholds in fish
(to be determined) (7). The proposed stream sediment THg limit in the Draft TMDL Report is 0.4 mg/kg. The
proposed thresholds to be achieved for fish are screening levels of 0.14 and 0.23 mg/kg THg, and an action
level of 1.0 mg/kg (current FDA action level). The proposed threshold concentration for MeHg in water to
prevent bioaccumulation and protect human and ecological health is 0.05 ng/L.
Table 3. Mercury Mining Losses at the New Almaden Mines and Potential Significance
Type of Mercury
Loss
Concentration mill
tailings
Furnace and retort
dust and slag (burnt
ore)
Furnace and retort
condenser and soot
clean-up water
Furnace and retort
system leaks, spills,
and fugitive emissions
Mine drainage
Mine ventilation and
soil exhalation
Mine waste rock
Mechanism of Loss
Cinnabar values. Erosion, leaching and perhaps minor
vapor emissions from tailings discharged to land.
Cinnabar and mercury values, especially in "half-burned"
rock. Erosion, leaching, and vapor emissions from
discharge to land. Discharge of furnace dust with values,
often by usin g wate r to slu rry the dust. Slag often use d for
road base gravel and sometimes other gravel uses.
Dissolved and p articulate mercury and compounds. Runoff,
infiltration, and perhaps vapor emissions from discharge to
land.
Elemental mercury leaked to ground and air through defects
(gaps and cracks), diffusion through brickwork, and poor
operation of the furnace plant.
Mercury dissolved in mine water discharge. Acid drainage is
rare.
Mercury vapor liberated by blasting and exposure of ore, and
by natural exhalations of subsurface vapor.
Cinnabar and mercury values remain in the rock, releasing
mercury through erosion, leaching, and vapor emissions
from waste rock dumped on surface and in mine. Minor use
as construction material has also occurred.
Potential
Significance
Low
High
Significant
High (leaks &
air emissions)
Low (spills)
Low(?)
Significant^)
Significant
101
-------
Airborne emissions from ore reduction at the mines released significant quantities of vapor and particulate
matter containing mercury, and the fate of the emissions may need to be assessed relative to the TMDL
thresholds. Fugitive mercury vapor emitted during ore processing likely migrated into the atmosphere to
become part of the global atmospheric mercury reservoir. Concern about the impact of atmospheric mer-
cury on global waterways is a subject of much study. The potential impact of mist and fume loss has not
been studied in any detail, but may be a significant source of mercury loading to surface soils in proximity to
furnace plants. The magnitude of mist and fume loss at New Almaden is estimated from metallurgical
studies of mercury ore reduction. The magnitude of the loss and unknown effect on local waterways sug-
gest that historic air releases should be evaluated further. Similar investigation may be warranted at mer-
cury mines with large production from furnaces.
At the New Almaden Mines, there are three primary furnace plants where large-scale ore processing oc-
curred (8). From south to north, these are the Hacienda Furnace Yard, Mine-Hill Rotary Furnace, and
Senator Mine. The plants operated over distinctly different time intervals and used different technology.
This paper only considers the Hacienda Furnace yard. The Hacienda Furnace Yard operated from January
1846 until June 25, 1917, and used primarily wood-fired vertical shaft furnaces with brick and wood con-
densers. Some fume and mist loss data is available for the furnaces. The primary source of data used in the
discussion herein is from Christy (9), (10), and Duschak and Schuette (11), (12). Christy studied the types
of furnaces used throughout much of the production history of the Hacienda.
It should be noted that 95% of the total production of the New Almaden mines came from the Hacienda
operations, and about 75% of all ore processed was processed at the Hacienda. Christy (10) estimated that
in 1882 0.83% of the plant mercury yield was lost as vapor and 2.49% as mist. In 1882, the plant produced
about 968,700 Kg of mercury, so the mist loss equals 24,120 Kg. Christy mentions evidence of significant
losses from older style furnaces operated prior to 1875. Duschak and Schuette (11) point out that Christy
uses theoretical calculations and did not measure mist loss directly. They also state that he uses the wrong
vapor pressure of mercury in his calculations and therefore may have overstated the mist loss by an order of
magnitude.
Duschak and Schuette use direct measurement at several mines to arrive at the data in the Table 4, modi-
fied by the author to correct some apparent mathematical errors. They point out that actual losses vary such
over time within each plant and from plant to plant, that no generalizations can be reliably used in place of
actual measurement. Figure 2 is data from their investigation that illustrates their point. None the less, it is
useful to use their observed range of losses to evaluate the potential magnitude of mist loss from the Haci-
enda.
102
-------
Table 4. Vapor and Mist Loss Determinations from Field Measurements
Mine a
Daily Ore Processed
(metric tons)
Daily Hg Produced
(kg)
Gas Volume (nrftday)
at stack conditions
Total Loss (grams per
day)
Vapor Loss (grams per
day)
Mist Loss by difference
Total Loss as % of Ore
Content
Total Loss as % of
Production
Vapor Loss as % of
Production
Mist Loss as % of
Production
Hew
Idria
Ho. 1
Rotary
57
P77
40 040
7.747.7
4
6.526.5
2
1.221.2
2
2.72
2.72
2.36
0.44
Hew
Idria
Ho. 1
Scott
(old)
60
600
69.800
2.024.2
M
4.118.2
M
-
2.094.0
o
0.34
0.34
0.69
-0.35
Hew
Idria
Ho. 1
Scott
(new)
70
825
97.430
8.281.5
5
5.066.3
6
3.215.1
9
0.99
0.99
0.61
0.39
Ocean i
c Ho. 1
&2
Scott
90
170
62.800
2.951.6
M
2.135.2
M
816.40
1.71
1.71
1.26
0.48
Biq
Bend
Scott
(regular)
45
202
30 000
Oat
Hill
Entire
Syste
in
40
91
24.048
721.44
144.29
577.15
0.79
0.79
0.16
0.63
Oat Hill
First
Chambe
r
40
91
26.400
1.671.12
1.214.40
456.72
1.80
1.80
1.33
0.50
Cloverd
ale
Rotary
70
318
40 000
mP'day
cubic meters per day
103
-------
Daily Stack Loss at the New Idria and Oceanic Mines
St
m
a
u
09
a
a>
x
o>
SOURCE: Diuotafc.l.H. ana
Sefeuetto.C-M-, 1B1«, Fum* and
aih*rlBi*«»* Is Cur.di.'Kina
Qutek»llw»rfrs» famma* O»»*».
U 2, 6ur«au si MnaK,
l> a(s«r SB
notW-. Baia tnctaSft*
-; .: lie jijled le-ti .HO 41 Xq-Dny
0,43 KH/Day
^Qf i*a 11» e wtt mil
ailSC. R*et*;•(!',«
is v is SK (lift fihaErnft si i s Tf* tcr i^*
BlliOiK !* B1.ZTB ar.a S 1,100 en.
Date of Sam pie - 1917
•• •+••- Nauu Idria Scott No. 1 (Old)
— O "*0*« >"«<> Scot No, 1 & 2
• Mew Idria Scott No. t (New)
Figure 2. Stack loss estimates for three furnace plants.
Duschak and Schuette's data is characteristic of the furnace operations from about 1876 until 1917, when
operations ceased at the Hacienda, a period of about 40 years. From Table 2, approximately 13,740 metric
tons of mercury was produced during the period. The mist loss in Table 4 as a percentage of production
ranges from 0.39% to 0.63%. This equates to a range of loss from the Hacienda of about 53,600 Kg to
86,600 Kg of mercury mist.
Based on Christy's account of the older type of furnaces common at New Almaden until about 1876, mist
loss must have been as much as three times higher for the earlier interval. From Table 2, production for this
interval is 22,760 metric tons of mercury. Duschak and Schuette's range of loss multiplied by a factor of
three is 1.17% to 1.89%, and this equates to a range of loss of about 266,300 Kg to 430,200 Kg for the
earlier production period. The total mist loss for the two periods ranges from 319,900 Kg to 516,800. This
is a large number, especially considering it is one of three losses that may also be of equal or greater
magnitude (vapor loss and loss in calcines).
Mist loss from Table 4 averages 38% of total loss (ignoring the negative value). If the Hacienda furnaces
averaged 97.5% efficiency (a very generous assumption), estimated mist loss equates to 36,500 metric tons
of mercury production divided by 0.975 and multiplied by (0.025 x 0.38), a mist loss of 355,641 Kg. The
figure agrees well with the mid-point of the calculated range of loss. The table below uses a variety of loss
assumptions for the entire product of the mines. The magnitudes of the losses clearly are significant in
relation to the proposed TMDL sediment and water protection standards.
104
-------
Table 5. Estimates of Total Mercury Loss for the New Almaden Mines as % of Yield
Sensitivity Analysis Using Different Values for Loss of Yield
Prior to 1875
Post 1 875
TOTALS:
Prior to 1875
Post 1 875
TOTALS:
Prtorto1875
Post 1 875
TOTALS:
KgofHg
Prod
26,690,000
11,400,000
38,090,000
Kg of Hg
Prod
26,690,000
11,400,000
38,090,000
Kg of Hg
Prod
26,690,000
11,400,000
38,090,000
76-lb. Flasks
of Hg Prod
774,229
330,693
1,104,922
76-lb. Flasks
of Hg Prod
774,229
330,693
1 ,1 04,922
76-lb. Flasks
of Hg Prod
774,229
330,693
1 ,1 04,922
LOSS, % Of
Yield
15%
4%
Loss, %of
Yield
10%
4%
Loss, %of
Yield
5%
4%
KgofHg
Lost
4,003,500
417,240
4,420,740
Kg of Hg Lost
2,669,000
417,240
3,086,240
Kg of Hg Lost
1 ,334,500
417,240
1 ,751 ,740
76-lb. Flasks of
HgLost
116,134
12,103
128,238
76-lb. Flasks ot
HgLost
77,423
12,103
89,526
76-lb. Flasks of
HgLost
38,711
12,103
50,815
That the mist fallout may have impacted soils in the proximity of the furnace yard is suggested by one set of
soil samples collected during the Dames & Moore Phase-Ill investigation. Figure 3 shows the results for
colluvium soil samples collected during the investigation. Area CO-7 was selected to provide background
results for soil overlying greenstone outside of the known area of mercury mineralization, similar to area CO-
6. The samples from area CO-7 are clearly elevated relative to background. The outcrop does not show
any indication of mercury mineralization.
There are two likely sources of the mercury. The first is dust coming from the dirt road adjacent to the area
but 3 m below it in elevation. The road was used to haul ore and the road base averages about 100 mg/kg
THg in the minus-two millimeter portion of the sample. The second possibility is that the elevated mercury
represents accumulated mist fallout from the nearby Hacienda Furnace Yard (about 75 m lower in elevation
and 300 m to the south). This can be investigated by collecting samples on hillsides east of the Hacienda,
where there are no ore roads or known ore bodies.
The minimum mist loss of 319,900 Kg if distributed uniformly through the top 500 cm of soil over a 1 square
kilometer (km2) area equates to a soil mercury concentration of about 400 mg/kg, assuming a mass of 1500
Kg per cubic meter for the soil.
105
-------
Toia.1 Hcia «ampl* portion puiing 2mm for 7 tellurium ax* a*
18M4 •»— -- _. _- .. . , ._ — — , , — ... ... _,
!
tea ]
\
I *"
1
i .
04 .
„ , , , _ — _ , „_ „__ — ^ ^«, — , — ™-.^ — _™^, . «-
— -J- — • '
'1
A_
. ....^JU -^^^^.,—-1^^
A. . • •' "
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4
~
:
r
--•:.--"- - --— — ^._ :r- ....—..- .
1 K teHE M*i RD Sliiaa-CjrtonuKHsWHru CO3
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F tM QEMM Qr«, li » !• 1 JH • ' 'j "* — *-1*1-~*-~~™™-an™m~"™™J^~™^
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Figure 3. Total mercury results for phase-Ill colluvium soil sample areas.
References
(1) Assessing and Managing Mercury from Historic and Current Mining Activities Conference, San
Francisco, California, November 28-30, 2000.
(2) Cargill, et. al., 1980, "Resource Estimation from Historical Data: Mercury, a Test Case" in:
Mathematical Geology, Vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 489-521.
(3) Dames and Moore, January 1990, Environmental Mercury Assessment, Phase-Ill, Almaden
Quicksilver County Park.
(4) Camp, Dresser and McKee, May 1992 (revised 2 Sept 1992), Risk Assessment for the Almaden
Quicksilver County Park.
(5) Camp Dresser and McKee, August 1993, Environmental Mercury Assessment, Phase-l V Feasibility
Study, Almaden Quicksilver County Park.
(6) Camp, Dresser and McKee, January 1994, Draft Remedial Action Plan, Environmental Mercury
Assessment, Phase-V, Almaden Quicksilver County Park.
(7) SFRWQCB, May 9, 2000, Watershed Management of Mercury in the San Francisco Bay Estuary:
Draft Total Maximum Daily Load, Report to USEPA.
(8) Cox, M.F., 1985, Mining Operations at the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines, Santa Clara County,
CA, unpublished manuscript.
(9) Christy, S.B., September 1884, Quicksilver Reduction at New Almaden, in: Transactions of the
American Institute of Mining Engineers, Read at the Philadelphia meeting.
106
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(10) Christy, S.B., May 1885, Quicksilver-Condensation at New Almaden, CA, in: Transactions of the
American Institute of Mining Engineers, Vol. XIV, reprinted with revisions and appendices by Sherman
& Co. Printers, Philadelphia, 1885.
(11) Duschak, L.H. and Schuette, C.N., 1919, Fume and Other Losses in Condensing Quicksilver from
Furnace Gasses, USBM, Technical Paper 96.
(12) Duschak, L.H. and Schuette, C.N., 1925, The Metallurgy of Quicksilver, USBM, Bulletin 222.
3.5.3 Atmospheric Mercury Emissions from Mine Waste - Mae Sexauer Gustin
(Presenter), Department of Environmental and Resource Sciences,
UN-R; Brian Fitzgerald, Department of Environmental and Resource
Sciences, UN-R; David Nacht, Department of Environmental and Resource
Sciences, UN-R; Rick Zehner, Department of Environmental and Resource
Sciences, UN-R; Mark Coolbaugh, Department of Geologic Sciences,
UN-R; Mark Engle, Department of Geologic Sciences, UN-R; Chris Sladek,
Department of Geologic Sciences, UN-R; Robert Keislar, Desert Research
Institute; James Rytuba, USGS; Steven Lindberg, ORNL; and Hong
Zhang, ORNL
Mercury is naturally enriched in association with precious and base metal mineralization, and in fossil and
active epithermal hydrothermal systems in high enough concentrations for mercury to be prospected for and
mined. Areas surrounding mercury, precious and base metal deposits are naturally enriched in mercury.
Because of this enrichment, mercury concentrations in substrate, soil gas and air have been used in explo-
ration for mineral deposits. Mining associated with each of the above types of mineralization produces
waste or disturbed rock material that is naturally enriched in mercury. Mercury in naturally enriched sub-
strates occurs primarily as the mineral cinnabar (HgS) or as impurities in sulfide minerals. Mine waste may
also be anthropogenically enriched in mercury when elemental mercury is used to extract gold from crushed
rock and stream sediments. Elemental mercury that is added to ore may be transformed to other forms
during ore processing and within the waste rock piles.
Volatilization is an important process by which mercury is removed from contaminated substrate (Engle et
al., 2000 ; Sladek et al., this volume). Engle et al. (2000) demonstrated that mercury loss from naturally
enriched substrate in the Ivanhoe Mining District, NV was primarily though volatilization (~99%). Sladek and
Gustin (this volume) found that leaching of mercury is not a major mechanism by which mercury is removed
from mine waste.
Currently, our understanding of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury is incomplete. One of the major uncer-
tainties is the relative significance of nonpoint source emissions (mine waste, geologically enriched sub-
strate, geothermal areas) with respect to emissions from point sources of atmospheric mercury (ore pro-
cessing facilities, coal fired power plants, incinerators). Understanding the magnitude of emissions from
these nonpoint sources is important for assessing their role in the global biogeochemical cycle of mercury
and the effectiveness of regulatory controls on point sources.
In order to understand the environmental significance of mercury emissions from mines, mine waste and ore
processing we must:
Quantify the mercury emissions and the form of mercury being emitted (elemental mercury, reactive
mercury, particulate bound mercury);
Determine the emissions from associated undisturbed geologically enriched terrains;
Assess the magnitude of the emissions as a function of time; and
Determine the potential environmental impacts within the context of the biogeochemical cycle of
mercury.
This paper discusses mercury emissions measured from mines and mine waste, the factors controlling the
emissions, and the magnitude of the emissions relative to surrounding geologically/naturally mercury en-
riched terrains.
107
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Methods
Mercury emissions reported in this study were measured using a cylindrical polycarbonate field flux cham-
ber with a radius of 10.0 cm, a height of 3.5 cm, and a 1 L volume. Sixteen holes (1 cm diameter) were
drilled around the circumference of the polycarbonate flux chamber allowing unrestricted airflow. The outlet
and inlet air streams were sampled by a Tekran® Automated Dual Sampling unit and a Tekran® (Model
2537A) Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometer. The Tekran® measures Hg concentration of the air
in 5-minute intervals allowing for assessment of almost real time flux and of the influence of environmental
parameters on Hg flux (Gustin et al., 1999a). Hg flux was calculated using the following equation:
F=Q*(C0-C,)/A,
where F is the total flux of mercury in nanograms per square meter hour (ng/m2hr); Co and C are the Hg
concentrations measured at the outlet and inlet in ng/m3; A is the surface area exposed in the flux chamber
in square meters (m2); and Q is the flow of ambient air through the flux chamber in cubic meters per hour
(m3/hr). A chamber turnover rate of 5 to 10 L/min was used. Along with the measurement of mercury flux, air
and substrate temperature, incident light, barometric pressure and substrate mercury concentration for the
< 2 mm fraction of substrate 1 to 5 cm deep beneath the field chamber were also determined.
Study Sites
The Sulphur Bank Superfund Site, located on the eastern shore of the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake, CA, was
originally mined for sulfur from 1865 to 1871, and then for mercury until 1957. An estimated 7000 tons of
mercury were removed from the site, and over 1,250,000 tons of rock were mined, processed and disposed
of at the site (Chamberlin et al. 1990). Because of elevated mercury concentrations in fish tissue from Clear
Lake and clear identification of the Sulphur Bank Mine as the source of mercury to the lake, the mine site
was listed as a Superfund Site in August 1990. For this study mercury emissions were measured from the
mine waste at 22 locations.
The Knoxville Mining District, CA hosts three mercury mines, the Manhattan, Reed and Knoxville, as well as
the McLaughlin Gold Mine, which has engulfed the Manhattan Mine. Mercury emissions were measured
from eighty-six sites in the Knoxville Mining District and the adjacent Wilbur Springs area. Sampling loca-
tions included mercury and gold mine open pits and mine wastes, representatitive lithologic units (including
altered and unaltered rocks) and CO2 springs.
The Ivanhoe Mercury Mining District is located in north-central Nevada at the northern extent of the world-
class gold-bearing Carlin Trend. This district includes at least four historic mercury mines with the Ivanhoe
Mine being the largest. Approximately thirteen open pit gold mines are located along the Carlin Trend,
where Hg is a common byproduct of the gold extraction process (Rytuba and Heropoulos, 1992). Mercury
emissions were measured from mine waste, the open pits where mercury ore was extracted and from
characteristic rock types in the District (n=29) (Engle et al., submitted).
The New Idria Mercury Mining District, located in south central California, includes the New Idria Mine, the
second-largest historic producer of mercury in the U.S. (approximately 10,000 tons of production) and at
least four other mines that produced minor amounts of mercury. Mercury emissions were measured from
mine waste, and characteristic rock and rock alteration types in the district (Coolbaugh et al., submitted) (n=
40). Current research at the site is investigating the effect of remediation of mine waste on emissions.
At the Carson River Superfund Site, NV, ~75 mills used mercury to amalgamate gold and silver from the
Comstock ore in the late 1800s. This site, which is anthropogenically contaminated in mercury, was listed as
a Superfund Site in August 1990. It is estimated that 5.5 x 109 g of elemental mercury were lost during ore
processing (Smith, 1943). Mercury emissions were measured from six areas of mill tailings, including one
area where the ore had been reprocessed by cyanide heap leaching (n=25).
108
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Results
Emissions from Mine Waste
Mercury emissions measured at Sulphur Bank ranged from 371 to 5580 ng/m2hr for mercuriferous rocks in
the open pit and from 579 to 5442 ng/m2hr for the waste rock. Areas of recently disturbed material near the
Herman Pit, with substrate mercury concentrations of 5 and 9 ^g/g, exhibited fluxes of 8400 and 9500 ng/
m2hr, respectively. Substrate mercury concentrations ranged from 0.6 to 5050.0 \iglg. Excluding one out-
lier, substrate mercury concentrations were less than 35 ^g/g. The mean flux for the site (after removal of
the flux measured from recently disturbed material) was 922 ± 556 ng/m2hr. A diel measurement of emis-
sions from a representative site revealed an average nightime emission of 219 + 24 ng/m2hr. Using these
two average fluxes, an annual flux of 6.5 kg was obtained for the ~1200 x 1200 m2 area.
For naturally mercury enriched substates, there is commonly a linear relationship between the logarithm of
mercury concentration in substrate and the logarithm of mercury flux (Gustin et al., 2000). At Sulphur Bank,
no such relationship existed. In addition, mercury fluxes were one to two orders of magnitude higher than
would be expected given the substrate mercury concentrations. These two observations suggest that geo-
logic processes at depth, such as the ongoing regional metamorphism, are important in controlling mercury
emissions from the site or that surface disturbance has significantly exacerbated emissions from the area.
The first seems more likely since mercury is actively being deposited at the site (Rytuba, 1993), and mercury
is being emitted at CO2 springs in the area. A diel pattern in Hg emissions (increasing emissions to mid-day
and declining during the night) measured at the site indicated that surface processes are also important in
controlling emissions.
In the Knoxville District, mercury emissions from the Mclaughlin Gold Mine open pit ranged from 105 to
2866 ng/m2hr (n=7); from the Hg mine pits, 500 to 10000 ng/m2hr (n=3); from mine waste, 214 to 2100 ng/
m2hr (n=5); and from processed Hg ore, 7330 ng/m2hr (n=1). Using an average flux of 674 ng/m2hr for the
Mclaughlin open pit and 1000 ng/m2hr for the mine waste, an estimated 15 kg Hg/yr is emitted from the ~ 3
km2 disturbed area. Mercury emissions measured at night in the Mclaughlin open pit declined to ~0 ng/
m2hr. Mercury emissions from mines and mine waste in this district were positively correlated with substrate
mercury concentration. Mercury emissions measured from representative lithologic units and CO2 springs in
the District ranged from 0 to 329 ng/m2hr and 389 to 1714 ng/mahr, respectively. Since the Mclaughlin Mine
is located in a mercury mining district, emissions from this mine should not be used as indicative of emis-
sions from other precious metal mines. For example, mercury emissions measured from the Relief Canyon
pit, which is a sediment hosted gold deposit in central Nevada, were on the order of 60 ng/m2hr.
Mercury emissions measured from ore and mine waste in the Ivanhoe District ranged from 650 to 60000 ng/
m2hr and 100 to 600 ng/m2hr, respectively. Engle et al. (submitted) estimated that 8.9 kg of mercury were
emitted annually from the 0.1 km2 area of mines and mine waste in the district, and 81 kg of mercury were
emitted from a 582 km2 area of undisturbed naturally enriched substrate surrounding the mercury mines.
Mercury emissions from mine waste and mining disturbed areas in the New Idria District ranged from 41 to
9600 ng/m2hr. Coolbaugh et al. (submitted) estimated that mercury emissions from a mining disturbed area
of 0.6 km2 were 2.7 kg/yr, while 15 kg/yr were emitted from a 220 km2 area of undisturbed naturally enriched
substrate within the district.
Mercury emissions from mine waste measured at the Carson River Superfund Site ranged from background
levels (0-15 ng/m2hr), from mine waste that had been reprocessed using cyanide heap leaching, to 11500
ng/m2hr. Mercury emissions from the Carson River Superfund Site were crudely estimated to be 12.5 kg/yr.
Factors Controlling Mercury Emission from Mine Waste
The magnitude of the release of mercury from mine waste to the atmosphere is governed primarily by the
mercury concentration in substrate and the general geologic setting. Excluding Sulphur Bank, a good
correlation was found for the logarithm of mercury emissions versus the logarithm of flux (r2 = 0.65, p<0.05)
for mining disturbed substrate discussed in this study (n=41). Environmental parameters such as tempera-
ture, incident sunlight, precipitation, vegetation, coherence of the substrate and site disturbance all influ-
enced the magnitude of emissions. Recently disturbed areas were found to exhibit significantly elevated
emissions with respect to undisturbed areas. In fact, emissions from mercury mine waste several weeks
after it had been moved and capped with ~2 feet of fill were as high as emissions measured from the waste
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before it was moved and capped. Grasses were found to suppress emissions by 25 to 75 % from mine
waste. Light and precipitation were both found to significantly enhance emissions. It should be noted that
reported fluxes were measured under conditions of no precipitation. We recently measured a profound
effect of fresh rainfall on mercury emissions from mercury-enriched soils (Lindberg et al., 1999). Under
these conditions, mercury evasion can be enhanced by up to 5-fold over a several hour period.
Comparison with Emissions from the Surrounding Area
Mercury emissions from naturally enriched mine waste are 1 to 5 orders of magnitude greater than emis-
sions measured from areas with no natural mercury enrichment (substrate < 0.08 ng/g of Hg; fluxes 0 to 15
ng/m2hr). Emissions from undisturbed naturally enriched substrate are 1 to almost 3 orders of magnitude
higher. In most settings, the magnitude of emissions from naturally enriched substrate is directly correlated
with the mercury concentration in the substrate. Since mines and mine waste represent only a small surface
area with respect to the larger surrounding area that typically exhibits low levels of natural enrichment,
emissions from both need to be quantified and scaled spatially and temporally in order for environmental
ramifications to be assessed. Engle et al. (submitted) scaled up mercury emissions for an area of 586 km2
within the Ivanhoe Mercury Mining District. They determined that the bulk of mercury emitted from the
district (~90%) was from naturally enriched undisturbed terrain and the rest was emitted from the areas of
actual mining and mine waste. Coolbaugh et al. (submitted) scaled up mercury emissions for a 230 km2
area encompassing the New Idria Mercury Mining District and determined that 10% of the emissions were
from mine waste and mining areas.
Conclusions
Ore processing, mining and land disturbance exacerbate mercury emissions that would be occurring from
undisturbed naturally enriched substrate. Mercury emissions from mine waste and mining disturbed areas
typically range from > 30 to 1000's of ng/m2hr and contribute kgs of mercury annually to the atmosphere.
Fluxes from naturally enriched geologic substrate surrounding these areas range from 0 to 10O's of ng/m2hr.
The latter usually encompasses a larger surface area than mining disturbed sites and in general contributes
more to the global atmospheric mercury budget.
Mercury emissions to the atmosphere in Nevada associated with mineral deposits occur from the ore roast-
ing process, mine pits, mine waste and the surrounding naturally enriched terrains. Newmont estimated
that through the process of gold ore roasting at the Twin Creeks Mine in 1999 ~550 kg of mercury were
emitted; Barrick Goldstrike estimated an annual emission of 630 kg from ore autoclaving and refining at the
Betz-Post Mine. Both of these facilities heat the ore to retrieve the gold. Most gold recovery at mines in
Nevada is through the process of cyanide heap leaching which does not entail ore roasting, and thus mer-
cury emissions associated with this process will be significantly lower. Zehner and Gustin (this volume),
using LANDSAT imagery from 1994 and data from in situ field flux measurements, estimated that emissions
from epithermal volcanic and sediment hosted recent/active mines was 78 kg/y and that roughly 13000 kg
were emitted annually from undisturbed naturally enriched substrate. For comparison, an estimated 41500
kg were emitted in 1999 from 1663 coal utility boilers in the U.S. (Chu, 2000).
In order to accurately assess the environmental impacts of mercury emissions from ore processing and
mine waste, consideration must be given to the magnitude of the emissions with respect to other sources,
the longevity of the emissions and the mercury species being emitted. Ore processing by roasting consti-
tutes a short term high concentration source. Cyanide heap leaching, a common process for removal of
gold from ores, reduces the mercury concentration in mined rock and therefore could reduce overall emis-
sions from mine waste. Mine waste and surrounding undisturbed naturally enriched substrate constitute
long lived sources of mercury to the atmosphere. Planting vegetation on mine waste will reduce emissions,
and we are currently investigating the effect of capping mine waste with substrate containing low mercury
concentrations on emissions. One question that needs to be addressed is whether emissions from mine
waste decline with time (as the effect of disturbance declines) to a flux that would be expected from undis-
turbed natural sources.
The form (Hg2+, elemental Hg, Hg that is particulate bound) of the mercury emitted from each of these
sources will influence the type of impact emissions will have on the environment. If the mercury emitted
from ore roasting, mine pits, mine waste and naturally enriched areas is a reactive form (some form of Hg2+)
it may impact local ecosystems. If elemental mercury, it is thought that this form will enter the global atmo-
spheric mercury pool and be broadly dispersed (although some studies have shown that it can be deposited
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locally). If elemental mercury is the primary form then the magnitude of emissions relative to other sources
and sinks on a global scale needs to be considered when determining the effectiveness of regulatory con-
trols. The speciation of mercury being emitted from these sources as well as the potential for local deposi-
tion is unknown and needs to be investigated.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by two EPA STAR grants, EPRI and the USGS. Special thanks to Mary Ann
Allan and Leonard Levin of EPRI for their support; to Dean Enderlin and Homestake Mining Company for
their cooperation and support; and to M. M. Gustin for critical review of this manuscript.
References
Chamberlin, C.E., et. al. 1990 "Abatement and Control Study: Sulphur Bank Mine and Clear Lake.
Environmental Resources Engineering Department, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
Chu, P. 2000 An assessment of mercury emissions from U.S. coal fired power plants, EPRI report # 1000608.
Coolbaugh, Mark R, Gustin, Mae S., and Rytuba, James J. "Annual Emissions of Mercury to the
Atmosphere From Natural Sources in Nevada and California." Submitted to Environmental Science
and Technology: October 2000.
Engle, Mark A., Gustin, Mae Sexauer, and Zhang, Hong. "Quantifying Natural Source Mercury Emissions
From the Ivanhoe Mining District, North-Central Nevada, USA." Submitted to Atmospheric
Environment: July 2000
Engle, Mark A. 2000 A Mercury Mass Balance for the Ivanhoe Mining District, Masters Thesis, UNR.
Gustin, Mae Sexauer, Lindberg, S.E., Austin, K., Coolbaugh, M., Vette, A., Zhang, H. 2000 "Assessing the
Contribution of Natural Sources to Regional Atmospheric Mercury Budgets." The Science of the
Total Environment. 259:61-72.
Gustin, M.S., Lindberg, S.E., Marsik, R, Casimir, A., Ebinghaus, R., Edwards, G., Fitzgerald, C., Kemp, J.,
Kock, H., Leonard, T, Majewski, M., Owens, J., Poissant, L., Rasmussen, P., Schaedlich, R,
Schneeberger, D., Sommar, J., Turner, R., Vette, A., Wallschlaeger, D., Xiao, Z. 1999 The Nevada
Storms mercury flux methods intercomparison, JGR- Atmospheres 104 D17: 21, 831- 21, 844.
Lindberg, S.E., Zhang, H., Gustin, M. S., Casimir, A., Ebinghaus, R., Edwards, G., Fitzgerald ,C., Kemp, J.,
Kock, H., Leonard, T., Majewski, M., Marsik, R, Owens, J., Poissant, L., Rasmussen, P., Schaedlich,
R, Schneeberger, D., Sommar, J., Turner, R., Vette, A., Wallschlaeger, D., Xiao, Z.1999The role of
rainfall and soil moisture on mercury emissions from mercuriferous desert soils, JGR Atmospheres
104 D17; 21, 879-21, 888.
Hogan, Sean and Smucker, Stanford. 1994 "Revised Draft Human Health Risk Assessment and Remedial
Investigation Report Carson River Mercury Site." USEPA. San Francisco, CA.
Rytuba, James J., and Heropoulos, Chris. 1992 "Mercury-An Important Byproduct in Epithermal Gold
Systems." USGS Bulletin 1877.
Rytuba, James J. 1993 "Epithermal Precious-Metal and Mercury Deposits in the Sonoma and Clear Lake
Volcanic Fields, California." Guidebook Prepared for Society of Economic Geologists Field
Conference.
Sladek, Chris and Gustin, Mae Sexauer. "Assessing the Mobility of Mercury in Mine Waste." This Volume.
Smith, GA. 1943 "The History of the Comstock Lode." Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Bulletin 37.
Carson City, NV.
Zehner, R. and Gustin, M. S. "Estimation of mercury vapor flux from natural geologic sources in Nevada."
This volume.
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3.5.4 The Importance of Emissions Speciation to the Atmospheric Transport and
Deposition of Mercury - O. Russell Bullock, Jr, Atmospheric Sciences
Modeling Division, Air Resources Laboratory, NOAA
Introduction
The atmospheric pathway of the global mercury cycle is believed to be the main source of mercury contami-
nation to aquatic eco-systems throughout the U.S. and in most other nations where direct disposal of mer-
cury to water has been largely eliminated. Although the spatial scope of transport and deposition is certainly
global for atmospheric mercury as a whole, we now have compelling evidence that certain forms of mercury
are very quickly scavenged from air by both wet and dry atmospheric processes and are not likely to travel
very long distances through the atmosphere. Reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and paniculate mercury
(Hgp), while together making up only a small fraction of the total atmospheric burden of mercury, are thought
to represent the majority of atmospheric mercury deposited to the surface. Mercury can be emitted to air in
one of these forms, and travel only a short distance before deposition, or it can be emitted as elemental
mercury gas (Hg°) and move through the atmosphere for weeks or months, diffusing into the global atmo-
sphere. Based on recent modeling and field studies, it now appears that most of the elemental mercury that
is eventually deposited to the surface may do so through chemical conversion to RGM and/or particulate
mercury. It also appears that emissions of RGM and Hgp can be converted to Hg° by these same atmo-
spheric processes under different conditions. While there remains considerable uncertainty about these
chemical and physical conversion mechanisms, the expected deposition pattern for mercury from any source
is certainly dependent on the chemical and physical form of that mercury when emitted. The term "specia-
tion" is generally used to describe the determination of the fraction of a pollutant that occurs in various
important forms. Mercury emission speciation is necessary for an assessment of mercury contamination
from any source of atmospheric mercury.
Laboratory Evidence
All air pollutants tend to deposit rapidly to the surface if they are soluble in water. Less soluble pollutants
tend to be deposited as particulate matter if they condense to the solid or liquid phase. Thus, low vapor
pressure is another trait that leads to more rapid deposition. Table 1 shows the water solubility and vapor
pressure of mercury and some of its compounds. The water solubility of Hg° is shown to be very low,
indicating that significant scavenging and deposition by cloud and precipitation processes (wet deposition)
should not occur. Also, the vapor pressure of Hg° is quite high for a metal. The indicated vapor pressure
corresponds to a mass concentration of approximately 1.4 X10~2 g nrr3. This saturation concentration for Hg°
is seven orders of magnitude greater than concentrations typically found in ambient air and 140 times the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) limit for mercury in the workplace. Thus, condensa-
tion of Hg° to form Hgp in the atmosphere would not be expected, even in the most polluted locations. All of
these physical properties indicate that Hg° emitted from mining activities, or any other source, should not
readily deposit from the atmosphere.
Table 1. Physical Properties of Mercury and Some of Its Compounds
(From Schroederand Munthe, 1998)
Property
Vapor
Pmssurg
(Pa)
Water
Solubility
(g/L)
HgT
0.180
@20*C
49.4*10*
@20»C
Hgci,
8.99*10*
©20-C
66
© 20»C
HgO
9.20»101!
©25»C
5.3»1 0*
© 25 *C
HgS
?
~2»10**
©25-C
CHsHgCI
1.76
©25-C
-5-6
@ 25»C
(CHJ2Hg
8.30 »10a
© 25 -C
2.95
©25>C
112
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On the other hand, HgCI2 is quite soluble in water, and although its vapor pressure is high enough to pre-
clude condensation to the particulate phase, this water-soluble gas should be readily scavenged from air by
cloud water and precipitation. It can also be scavenged directly from the air by contact with water and
vegetation at the surface. The organic compounds CH?HgCI (methylmercuric chloride) and (CH3)2Hg (dim-
ethyl mercury) also have high vapor pressures combined with high water solubilities, and both of these
highly toxic compounds should exist as a gas, but be readily scavenged from air by moisture aloft and at the
surface. For all three of these highly soluble compounds, their existence as a gas allows more rapid diffu-
sion through the air toward water and moist surfaces and increases their rate of dry deposition over that of
a water-soluble aerosol. If any of these compounds are emitted from mining activities, they should exist in
the atmosphere as RGM, deposit quite rapidly, and primarily affect the local-scale surroundings within the
first day of transport from the point emission.
The vapor pressure of HgO is quite low as indicated in Table 1, and HgS certainly has a low vapor pressure
by virtue of its existence as the common mineral cinnabar. HgO is only moderately soluble and HgS is
extremely insoluble in water. Nonetheless, both of these compounds would exist in the atmosphere as Hgp
due to their low vapor pressure and should be scavenged from air, along with all other atmospheric aerosols,
by cloud and precipitation processes and by dry deposition to the surface. Scavenging of Hgp should occur
at a significant rate, but not as quickly as for the water-soluble gases comprising RGM. If any of these Hgp
compounds are emitted from mining activities, their deposition from the atmosphere should occur within the
first few days of transport from the point of emission.
Evidence from Field Observations
Until quite recently, the only separate species of mercury that could be routinely measured in air were total
gaseous mercury (TGM) and Hgp. Pioneering methods to measure gas-phase mercuric compounds were
first demonstrated in the early-to-mid 1990s (Stratton and Lindberg, 1995). Reliable methods for routine
measurement of RGM concentrations in ambient air have only been available for about two years (Stevens
et al., 1998). The results from recently conducted field studies using this new RGM measurement capability
in both manual and automated implementations have not yet been published. However, airborne measure-
ments of speciated mercury air concentrations recently conducted in Florida by EPA's National Exposure
Research Laboratory and NOAA's Air Resources Laboratory show that RGM concentrations are typically
very low within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) away from sources of RGM, but that RGM concentra-
tions are often significantly higher above the PBL. This suggests that dry deposition to the surface is
efficiently scavenging RGM. No such phenomenon was observed for Hg° or Hgp
Some of the most revealing evidence for rapid RGM scavenging by dry deposition comes from experiences
with various configurations of modern RGM sampling equipment. It is now known to the experts of RGM
sampling that a short, large-diameter air inlet tube with an internal coating of highly cross-linked Teflon® is
necessary to prevent a significant fraction of the RGM in sampled air from sticking to the inside wall of the
inlet tube (Stevens, personal communication). This behavior suggests that RGM in air can be scavenged by
dry deposition to many types of surfaces, not just water or vegetation.
It should be noted that before the existence and importance of RGM was understood by the scientific com-
munity, it was generally believed that Hg° and Hgp were the only significant species of mercury in air. Early
studies of the behavior of what was thought to be only Hg° may have been confounded by the effects of the
RGM component of TGM (Lindberg et al., 1991). Even after RGM was recognized as a component of
gaseous mercury, some TGM measurements may have been influenced by RGM sticking to, or releasing
from, air sampling trains. Now that the behavior of RGM in air sampling equipment is better understood,
field studies employing new speciated mercury sampling methods should provide a better understanding of
RGM's behavior in the atmosphere and the importance of mercury speciation to ecological damage assess-
ment.
Evidence from Atmospheric Simulation Modeling
Many atmospheric mercury modeling efforts conducted since the mid-1990s have recognized the differing
behaviors of Hg°, RGM and Hgp (Shannon and Voldner, 1995; Petersenetal., 1995; Bullock etal., 1997;Pai
et al., 1997; Petersen et al., 1998; Xu et al., 2000). Lacking specific data on the composition and behavior
of RGM, modelers have had to make a number of assumptions about its chemistry, and its subsequent dry
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and wet deposition. Nonetheless, each of these modeling efforts cited above found very important differ-
ences between Hg°, RGM and Hgp in terms of their atmospheric behavior, transport distance, and deposi-
tion rate. An analysis of model sensitivity to mercury emissions uncertainty found a very strong dependence
of simulated mercury deposition to the speciation of emissions (Bullock, 1998).
A comprehensive assessment of atmospheric mercury emission from, and deposition to, the U.S. was per-
formed as part of the development of the USEPA's Mercury Study Report to Congress (USEPA, 1997). The
simulation modeling performed for that assessment found a striking disparity between Hg°, divalent mercury
gas (i.e., RGM), and Hgp, with respect to the fraction of U.S. emissions that eventually deposited to the
surface within the model domain covering most of North America and surrounding coastal waters. Table 2
shows a mass balance analysis developed from a one-year simulation of mercury emission, transport,
transformation and deposition. It shows that less than 2% of the Hg° emitted from anthropogenic sources in
the U.S. deposited to the surface during the simulation, while more than 70% of the RGM and 38% of the
Hgp deposited during the same simulation period. It should be noted that Hgp was assumed to be comprised
of aerosol particles with a diameter of 0.3 microns for this modeling study. At this particle size, dry deposition
of any aerosol matter is typically very slow. Hgp in nature would exist in a variety of diameters, and dry
depositional fluxes of Hgp to the surface would likely be more significant than indicated in Table 2. Thus, the
majority of both RGM and Hgp emitted from the U.S. might be expected to deposit within the model domain,
while the vast majority of Hg° emitted would diffuse into the global atmospheric background.
Table 2. Mass Balance Analysis from a One-year Simulation of Atmospheric
Mercury Emitted tram the U.S.. All Data Are Shown In Units of Metric Tons and A re
Rounded to the Nearest Tenth. (Adapted from USEPA, 1997)
Source/Fate
Total U.S. anthropogenic emissions
Dry deposited anthropogenic emissions
Wet deposited anthropogenic emissions
Mass advected from model do main
Re main Ing in a ir at end of s I mutation
Total deposited anthropogenic emissions
HOD
63.5
0.0
o.g
62.3
0.3
0.9
H$T
52.3
22.9
13.8
15.5
<0.1
36.8
HO.
26.0
0.5
9.5
16.0
<0.1
10.0
Total Hg
141.8
23.4
24.2
93.8
0.4
47.6
Conclusions
Laboratory investigation, field monitoring and simulation modeling all suggest that the behavior of mercury
in the atmosphere is strongly dependent on the chemical and physical forms in which it occurs. These
investigations do not suggest that the vast disparity among the behaviors of Hg°, RGM and Hgp in the
atmosphere is dependent upon the source type or exhaust stack configuration. Due to the highly reactive
nature of RGM, its emission into the lowest portion of the atmosphere from short exhaust stacks or from
surface evasion should lead to shorter transport distances and higher local deposition rates than if emitted
from tall stacks. This may also be true of Hgp, if it is comprised of RGM weakly sorbed to more stable
paniculate matter. On the other hand, Hg° appears to be nearly inert and the height of release is unlikely to
have much effect on its transport and deposition pattern, which is almost certainly global in scale under all
conditions. Assessment of atmospheric mercury deposition from any industrial activity will require a confi-
dent speciation of the mercury emitted in addition to information about the THg mass.
Disclaimer
The information in this paper has been funded wholly or in part by the USEPA. It has been subject to Agency
review and has been approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
114
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References
Bullock, O.R., Jr., W.G. Benjey and M.H. Keating. (1997) The modeling of regional-scale atmospheric
mercury transport and deposition using RELMAP. In: Joel E. Baker, editor. Atmospheric deposition
of contaminants to the Great Lakes and Coastal Waters. SETAC Press, Pensacola, pp. 323-347.
Bullock, O. R., Jr. (1998) Lagrangian modeling of mercury air emission, transport and deposition: An
analysis of model sensitivity to emissions uncertainty. Science of the Total Environment 213,1-12.
Lindberg, S.E., Turner, R.R., Meyers, T.P., Taylor, G.E., and Schroeder, W.H. (1991) Atmospheric
concentrations and depositions of mercury to a deciduous forest at Walker Branch Watershed,
Tennessee, USA. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 56, 577-594.
Pai, P., Karamchandani, P. and Seigneur C. (1997) Simulation of the regional atmospheric transport and
fate of mercury using a comprehensive Eulerian model. Atmospheric Environmental, 2717-2732.
Petersen, G., Iverfeldt, A., and Munthe, J. (1995) Atmospheric mercury species over central and northern
Europe. Model calculations and comparison with observations from the Nordic Air and Precipitation
Network for 1987 and 1988. Atmospheric Environment 29, 47-68.
Petersen, G., Munthe, J., Pleijel, K., Bloxam, R., Kumar, A. (1998) A comprehensive Eulerian modeling
framework for airborne mercury species: Development and testing of the tropospheric chemistry
module. Atmospheric Environment 32, 829-843.
Schroeder, W. H. and Munthe, J. (1998) Atmospheric mercury - an overview. Atmospheric Environment
32:809-822.
Shannon, J.D. and Voldner, E.G. (1995) Modeling atmospheric concentrations of mercury and deposition
to the Great Lakes. Atmospheric Environment 29, 1649-1661.
Stevens, R.K., Schaedlich, F.A., Schneeberger, D.R., Prestbo, E., Lindberg S. and Keeler, G. (1998)
Automated instrument designed to measure Hg° and HgCI2 in near real time: design and
operational characteristics. Presented at the Air and Waste Management Association's Conference
on Measurement of Toxic and Related Air Pollutants, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Stratton, W.J. and Lindberg, S.E. (1995) Use of a refluxing mist chamber for measurement of gas-phase
mercury(ll) species in the atmosphere. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 80, 1269-1278.
USEPA (1997) Mercury Study Report to Congress. Volume III: Fate and Transport of Mercury in the
Environment. Report number EPA-452/R-97-005.
Xu, X., Yang, X., Miller, D.R., Helble, J.J. and Carley, R.J. (2000) A regional scale modeling study of
atmospheric transport and transformation of mercury. II. Simulation results for the northeast United
States. Atmospheric Environment 34, 4945-4955.
3.5.5 Atmospheric Mercury Fluxes as Recorded in Lake Sediments: The Lack of
an Historic Global Signal from Au and Ag Mining - W.F. Fitzgerald,
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut; C.H. Lamborg,
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut; A. W.H.
Damman, Division of Biology, Kansas State University; J.M. Benoit;
Department of Geo. Sciences, Princeton University; P.H. Balcom,
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut; and D.R.
Engstrom, Science Museum of Minnesota
Abstract
Using lake sediments from remote locations, we have reconstructed the atmospheric deposition of mercury
(Hg) over the last ca. 800 years in both hemispheres. Significant findings include:
115
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The current flux of Hg from the atmosphere in Nova Scotia was estimated using two independent
methods: lake sediments dated with 210Pb and rain collections (c/o Environment Canada and the
Mercury Deposition Network). These two estimates are very similar (ca. 9 \ig rrr2 y1) and suggest
that sediment cores are accurate records for Hg deposition from the atmosphere.
The ratio of current to pre-industrial Hg deposition rates observed in the 5 cores from Nova Scotia is
a factor of 3-4x, indicating a significant anthropogenic impact since the advent of the Industrial
Revolution. A similar trend is evident in the first cores from New Zealand, and this portion of the
project is on-going. Furthermore, this increase is synchronous with increases in emissions of CO2
from fossil fuel combustion on a global scale.
No evidence was found for an enhancement in atmospheric flux as a result of pre-industrial (< 1900) Au and
Ag mining in either hemisphere. This finding implies that much of the Hg lost during mining operations and
precious metal processing/refining ended up in tailings, soils and sediments and is now largely immobile
with respect to large-scale atmospheric emission.
Introduction
Mercury is released to the atmosphere by natural and human-related processes (e.g., Nriagu and Pacyna,
1988; Mason et ai, 1994). In the atmosphere, Hg° vapor is the dominant chemical form and is slow to
oxidize to more soluble species (e.g., Lamborg et ai, 2000). It is therefore available to be widely dispersed
within the atmosphere, both intra- and interhemispherically (e.g., Fitzgerald, 1995). This implies that the
atmospheric depositional flux of Hg at any location is integrative of sources on large and small spatial
scales. Many studies have exploited this global/regional nature of Hg dispersion to estimate the change in
the atmospheric burden of Hg on a global-scale by examining the depositional flux recorded over time in a
natural archive from a remote location (e.g., Steinnes and Andersson, 1991; Swain et ai, 1992; Stewart and
Fergusson, 1994; Landers etal., 1995; Norton etal., 1997; Benoit ef ai, 1998; Lockhart et ai, 1998; Rognerud
et ai, 1998; Lacerda et ai, 1999; Martinez-Cortizas ef ai, 1999; Matsunaga ef ai, 1999). Most of these
studies have used lake sediments or ombrotrophic peat bogs as the archiving media and results from these
studies are generally in agreement (Fitzgerald ef ai, 1998). The picture that is emerging is one of a wide-
spread increase in Hg deposition since the Industrial Revolution (ca. 1890 c.e.). Rarely, however, have
these studies been conducted in conjunction with contemporaneous precipitation collections. Furthermore,
information from the Southern Hemisphere is much more sparse than for the Northern Hemisphere. We
report here findings on the Hg accumulation rates in lake sediments from two locations that are semi-remote
and representative of their respective hemispheres.
Methods
Seepage/headwater lakes were sampled in Nova Scotia and New Zealand (Figure 1). To minimize con-
founding factors, lakes were selected for simple morphology, small catchment size and minimal surface
water exchange. Multiple cores were collected from each lake, and averaged results are reported where
possible. The methods for lake sediment collection and analysis closely followed those of Swain ef ai
(1992). This summer (July-August, 2000), 15 additional cores (ca. 800 samples) were obtained from five
carefully selected lakes in the tundra region of eastern Arctic, Alaska.
116
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Nova Scotia, Canada
Lakes
OBig Dam East
Silver
OHochstetter
• Kangaroo
® Sarah
Figure 1. Sampling sites.
Sampling
Locations
CrfymoutH
TeAnau
Cftsr/ftettt/rct*
South Island, New Zealand
2200
2000
1800
•C- 1600
1 1400 H
o
I" 1200
I 100°
I 800
Dl
X goo
400
200
Estimated Mercury Emissions Associated
with Mining in the New World
Global Industry
North America
South and Central America
1550 1600 1650 1700 17SO 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
Adapted from Hudson et al. (1995) Dato
Figure 2. Mercury emissions from mining and global industry (Hudson et al., 1995).
117
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Results
Most of the cores examined possessed 210Pb profiles that allowed application of the Constant Rate of
Supply (CRS) dating model (Appleby and Oldfield, 1978). As part of the Mercury Deposition Network, the
Atmospheric Environment Service of Environment Canada collects rainwater for Hg analysis at Kejimkujik
National Park in Nova Scotia (where our lakes were situated). We therefore have two independent esti-
mates of the current flux of Hg to Nova Scotia: precipitation and surficial lake sediments. These estimates
agree closely (rain: 9±3 per square micrograms year (jig ~2 y1' ; lake: 9±2 ng ~2 y1). At present, a similar
comparison cannot be made in the region of New Zealand's South Island pertinent to our archive studies.
The temporal change in Hg deposition is well recorded in lake sediments from both locations. With some of
the cores, reconstruction of almost 800 years of deposition was possible, and most cores recorded several
hundred years. In both hemispheres, a clear increase in the flux of Hg to the sediments occurs around the
mid-1800s and current flux ratio estimates appear to be about 3-4x that of the pre-industrial signals (i.e., an
increase of 200-300%). The Hg emissions signals associated with pre-1900 mining activities in the Ameri-
cas predicted by the analyses of Nriagu (1994) and Hudson et a\. (1995) are not recorded in either location.
However, the advent and time rate of change for fossil fuel combustion associated with the Industrial Revo-
lution fits well with the character of the last hundred years of Hg deposition (Hg emissions scaled to CO2
emissions. Keeling, 1994; Marland et ai, 1994; Hudson et ai, 1995). This is clearly not due to the relatively
small size of mining losses of Hg compared with that of current industrial activity, as the data used in Hudson
et al. (1994) indicate that the average losses of Hg from South and Central American mining, North Ameri-
can mining and current industry are about 600,1200 and 600 tons y1 (3, 6 and 3 Mmoles y1), respectively.
The lack of a mining signal in lake sediments from the Southern Hemisphere has also recently been re-
ported by Lacerda et al. (1999) working in Brazil and previously noted by several authors working in loca-
tions around the Northern Hemisphere (e.g., Swain et al., 1992; Landers etal., 1995; Lockhart et al., 1998;
Rognerud et al., 1998; Martfnez-Cortizas et al., 1999; Matsunaga et al., 1999). While the losses of Hg
during Au and Ag mining are documented (Egleston, 1887; Nriagu, 1994), the lack of a global Hg signal
associated with Hg mining and Au and Ag recovery suggests that either the Hg emitted to the atmosphere
from these activities is removed rapidly and locally due to the chemical and physical form of the atmospheric
Hg, or perhaps more reasonably, that most of this Hg was lost largely to tailings, soils and sediments. This
sequestering significantly reduced the amounts introduced into the global atmosphere. Our newly initiated
investigations of current and historic atmospheric Hg deposition in the tundra region of eastern Arctic, Alaska
will allow potential regionalized/localized Hg deposition associated with Au and Ag mining to be scaled and
assessed.
Acknowledgments
We thank the following for their indispensable help: Connie Langer, David Cohen, Steve Beauchamp, Rob
Tordon, Bob Thexton, Chris Waterman, Jonathan Kim, Paul Meredith, Keith Hunter, Ming Chang, Amit Dave,
Kelley Thommes, Fjordland National Park (NZ) and Kejimkujik National Park (NS), Cooper's Inn, Whitman
Inn, Gary Grenier, Bob Dziomba, Don Porcella and Mary Ann Allen. This research was supported financially
by the EPRI and the NSF (Division of Polar Programs). This is contribution 300A from the UConn Marine
Science and Technology Center.
References
Appleby, P.G. and F. Oldfield (1978) Cafena5:1-8.
Benoit J.M., Fitzgerald W.F. and Damman A.W.H. (1998) Environ. Research78:118-133.
Damman A.W.H. (1978) OikosSO: 480-495.
Egleston, T. (1887) The Metallurgy of Silver, Gold and Mercury in the United States, Vols. 1 & 2. Wiley and
Sons, NY.
Fitzgerald W. F, Engstrom D.R., Mason R.P. and Nater E. A. (1998) Environ. Sci. And Technol. 32:1-7.
Fitzgerald W.F. (1995) Water Air and Soil Pollution 80: 245-254.
118
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Hudson R.J.M., Gherini S.A., Fitzgerald W.F. and Porcella D.B. (1995) Water Air Soil Poll. 80: 265-272.
Keeling C.D. (1994) In: Trends '93: A Compendium of Data on Global Change. T.A. Boden, D.P. Kaiser, R.J.
Stepanski and F.W. Stoss (eds.) ORNL/CDIAC-65, Oak Ridge National Lab., U.S.A. pp. 501-504.
Lacerda L.D.; Ribeiro Jr. M.G.; Cordeiro R.C.; Turcq B. and Sifeddine A. (1999) Mercury Atmospheric
Deposition to Northern South America During the Last 1,000 Years. Presented at: 5th International
Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, Rio de Janeiro.
Lamborg C.H., Fitzgerald W.F, Graustein W.C. and Turekian K.K. (2000) J. Atmos. Chem. 36/3: 325-338.
Landers D.H., Ford J., Gubala C., Monetti M., Lasorsa B.K., Martinson J. (1995) Water Air Soil Poll. 80/1-4:
591-601.
Lockhart W.L., Wilkinson P., Billeck B.N., Danell R.A., Hunt R.V., Brunskill G.J., Delaronde J. and St Louis
V.(1998) Biogeochemistry 40/2-3:163-173.
Marland G., Andres R.J. and Boden T.A. (1994) In: Trends '93: A Compendium of Data on Global Change.
T.A. Boden, D.P. Kaiser, R.J. Stepanski and F.W. Stoss (eds.) ORNL/CDIAC-65, Oak Ridge
National Lab., U.S.A. pp.505-584.
Martfnez-Cortizas A., Potevedra-Pombal X., Garcia-Rodeja E., Novoa Munoz J.C. and Shotyk W. (1999)
Science 284: 939-942.
Mason, R.P., W.F. Fitzgerald and F.M.M. Morel (1994) Geochirn. Cosmochim. Acta 58/15: 3191-3198.
MatsunagaT, UenoT, Chandradjith R.L.R., Amano H., Okumura M., Hashitani H. (1999) Chemosphere39/
2: 269-283.
Norton S.A., Evans G.C. and Kahl J.S. (1997) Water Air Soil Poll.WO: 271-286.
Nriagu J.O. (1994) Sci. Tot. Env. 149/3: 167-181.
Nriagu J.O. and Pacyna J.M. (1988) Nature333:134-139.
Rognerud S., Skotvold T, Fjeld E., Norton S.A. and Hobaek A. (1998) Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55: 1512-
1523.
Steinnes E. and Andersson E.M. (1991) Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 56 391-404.
Stewart C. and Fergusson J.E. (1994) Environ, Poll. 86: 243-249.
Swain E.B., Engstrom D.R., Brigham M.E., Henning T.A. and Brezonik P.L. (1992) Science 257: 784-787.
3.5.6 Estimation of Mercury Vapor Flux from Natural Geologic Sources in
Nevada - Richard E. Zehner, Department of Environmental and Resource
Sciences, UN-R and Mae Sexauer Gustin, Department of Environmental and
Resource Sciences, UN-R
Introduction
Areas geologically enriched in mercury are concentrated in three global belts that follow active plate tectonic
boundaries and are associated with high crustal heat flow, volcanism, hydrothermal systems and alteration,
and base and precious metal deposits. Naturally enriched substrates constitute long-lived sources of mer-
cury to the atmosphere.
The relative contribution of mercury to the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources is currently
a topic of debate, with regulatory as well as scientific implications. While many anthropogenic sources
119
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represent point discharges of Hg that are relatively easy to measure, most natural sources are diffuse and
more difficult to characterize. Until recently, little work had been done to quantify mercury emissions from
naturally enriched areas. Early estimates of Hg flux from the natural mercuriferous belts (~1.5 ng m2/hr)
were derived by subtracting anthropogenic point source emission estimates and deposition estimates from
the global atmospheric Hg pool (Lindqvist et al., 1991). Engle et al (submitted) and Coolbaugh et al. (sub-
mitted) demonstrated that mercury emissions from areas of natural enrichment were significantly higher
than predicted from previous models.
This study focused on characterizing natural source mercury emissions from the State of Nevada, which is
located in one of the global mercury belts. It employed a GIS approach to model and estimate the amount of
mercury vapor flux emitted. A large geologic database of soil and rock mercury concentrations and in situ
measurements of mercury emissions were the primary data used for scaling.
Natural Mercury in Nevada
Geologic sources of mercury in Nevada include the alteration zones around fossil and active hydrothermal
systems, and the active geothermal systems themselves (Figure 1). The same systems that deposit mer-
cury can also deposit other metals in economic quantities, such as gold, silver, and copper. Mercury occur-
ring in the sulfide state or as elemental Hg has long been used as a pathfinder element in gold exploration.
Many active gold mines in Nevada contain elevated mercury concentrations, and some produce mercury as
a byproduct of cyanidation or smelting.
The geology of Nevada is characterized by at least four major periods of structural deformation that faulted
and fractured crustal rocks, forming conduits for hydrothermal fluids. The last episode involved tensional
forces that thinned the crust, leading to high crustal heat flow and copious hydrothermal activity. Geother-
mal systems resulting from the high heat flow hydrothermally altered large volumes of rock, and locally
deposited or are currently depositing mercury and other metals within these altered zones. Nevada has
hundreds of active hot springs and geothermal wells, and thousands of zones of alteration where past
geothermal fluids flowed.
Figure 2 shows a cross section of a mineralized hydrothermal system. Hydrothermal fluids with tempera-
tures up to 300°C can dissolve metals from deep crustal sources, transport them, and deposit them near the
surface as the result of boiling, decreasing temperature, or mixing with cold groundwater. Mercury, being so
volatile, deposits last, at or near the surface, at concentrations up to hundreds of thousands of times the
average crustal value of 0.06 ug/g.
120
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—^
*r ; 0^«
'.<£v-;^
? i**1!* *
>U Jr * !»* 4
« *». ^t *
» _ ,H it # * r
• * ^& M
<$*!
«•
A.
C
>r* /-**»*• * -
•«8C-» .»"ff*i>as ^
B.
Figure 1. A. Location of active geothermal systems in Nevada, from Garside, 1994. B. Areas of Nevada with hydrothermal
alteration as seen by LANDSAT 7 imagery (see text).
Modeling Mercury Flux
Mercury vapor is emitted from rock and soil as a function of substrate mercury concentration, light intensity,
soil and air temperature, barometric pressure, and deep-seated sources. Mercury flux follows a diel pattern
that peaks at midday, when sun intensity is greatest (Figure 3). Because of this cycle, flux measurements
taken at different times from the same location and substrate will vary. Engle et al. (submitted) found this diel
pattern closely follows a Gaussian distribution curve, and derived an equation that allows normalization of
Hg flux measurements to a daily average flux.
121
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Figure 2. Cross section of a mineralized hydrothermal system, from Silberman and Berger (1985). Very hot mineral-laden water
flows up faults and fractures and deposits metals on fracture walls (veins) and in the surrounding alteration envelope. These altered
zones range up to hundreds of square kilometers in size with mercury concentrations in the 10'2 to 101 ug/g range.
122
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16000
-4000
0.00
0.25 0.50 0.75
Normalized Time
1.00
Figure 3. Diel curve from Engle et al. (submitted) showing mercury flux data from the Ivanhoe district, Nevada and the Mclaughlin
mine, California. Time is normalized to 24 hours = "\ .00.
Figure 4 shows a distribution of ln[mercury concentration] in substrate (soil) versus ln[flux] that were normal-
ized using the Gaussian equation. The sample points represent flux measurements taken in direct sunlight
from a wide variety of geologic substrates and mercury concentrations. The equation for this curve,
In(normalizedflux) = 2.925 + 0.525 x In(Hgsubstrate) + 0.027 x ln(Hgsubstrate)2was used in the model to
convert soil concentration to an average daily flux for a 24-hour day having 12 hours of sunshine.
The GIS database used for the modeling consists of four primary layers: (1) a geologic map layer consisting
of 1:250,000 scale geologic maps from Hess and Johnson (1997), (2) an alteration layer containing poly-
gons derived from LANDSAT 7 images that emphasize clays and iron oxides indicative of hydrothermal
alteration, (3) a sample layer composed of rock and soil mercury concentrations from samples taken throughout
Nevada, (4) a meteorological layer which adjusts mercury flux to local conditions of sunlight and cloud cover,
and (5) a layer containing data from active geothermal sources. The data was manipulated using ArcView
3.2, using grids and the Spatial Analyst 2.0 extension.
The geologic map layer utilized existing 1:250,000 scale county geologic maps of Nevada digitized into
Arclnfo coverages (Hess and Johnson, 1997). These maps were compiled by various authors who mapped
each county using different geologic units. The Arclnfo coverages were reclassified into 34 standard geo-
logic surface units, mosaiced into one map, and converted to grid.
123
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10
024
LnHgSoli
8
10
Figure 4. Graph showing relationship between In soil concentration and In vapor flux, from field flux data collected from a variety of
unaltered and mercury-enriched rock types, during direct sunlight. R2 value of curve is 0.726. The flux data is normalized to an
average daily value using the Gaussian curve of Figure 3. The best-fit equation was used to estimate mercury vapor flux from rock
and soil data throughout Nevada.
The alteration layer was produced by digitizing polygons around altered areas derived from 1994 LANDSAT
7 images of Nevada which emphasize aspects of hydrothermal alteration (Figure 1B). Specifically, a BandS/
Band/ = red, Band3/Band1 = green, and BandS/BandS = Blue ratioed image was created after masking out
vegetation and cloud cover. In this image, clay alteration shows up in reds, iron oxides as greens, and
unaltered rocks in blue. Care was taken not to include primary clay or iron oxides that are not the result of
secondary hydrothermal alteration. LANDSAT 7 imagery uses pixels 30 m on a side; if the area of this pixel
is composed primarily of materials other than this alteration (e.g., vegetation, fresh rock, etc.), it was not
recorded as altered.
The mercury sample layer consists of 31,878 random and select rock chip, dump, and soil samples from a
variety of sampling projects, including those focused on mercury and precious metal mineral exploration
(Baedecker et al., 1998; Tingley, 1998; USGS and Kennecott Exploration Company, unpublished data). As
such, it constitutes a non-random sample of the true mercury population of Nevada.
The database was first "cleaned" by removing samples with poor spatial locations or analytical methods.
Next, the alteration layer was used to spatially separate samples into "inside" and "outside" groups. Samples
"inside" alteration polygons were considered altered, while those "outside" the polygons could be either
fresh or altered. A set of samples having associated trace element data and rock descriptions was used
along with cumulative frequency plots to further separate "outside" samples into fresh and altered subpopu-
lations.
Fresh samples were given a 1000 m radius of influence, altered samples were given a 100 m radius of
influence, and areas with no samples were assigned the mean flux value of all fresh samples of that rock
type.
Alteration polygons were classified into several groups using mine and prospect data from Mason and Arndt
(1996), including: (1) Altered areas with or without historic metal mines, (2) altered areas associated with
historic mines having mercury as a commodity, (3) active or recently active precious metal mines, (4) active
or recently active mines reporting mercury as a byproduct, and (4) porphyry copper systems. Cumulative
124
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frequency plots indicate these mercury samples fall into three populations. The first population, comprising
95% of the samples, ranges from 0.0 to 6.5 ug/g mercury. They were assigned a 1000 m radius of influence.
The second altered population spanned 6.5 to 26.0 ug/g mercury; these samples were given a 100 m radius
of influence. A third population, consisting of those samples above 26.0 ug/g mercury, was removed from
the dataset as being non-representative. Areas not having samples were assigned either the average value
of all altered samples (5.55 ng/m2hr; Group 1), or a value determined from actual flux measurements from
these deposit types (Groups 2-4).
Because mercury flux is strongly affected by exposure to sunlight, a meteorological layer was added to the
GIS to adjust flux values to cloudy conditions. To accomplish this, flux measurements were taken from the
same location during intermittent sun and cloud conditions. An equation was derived that describes the
difference in flux, which was combined with U.S. Weather Bureau data showing annual percent cloud cover
for the region. The resulting layer was used to adjust the flux data, which is based on a completely sunny
day, to one more accurately reflecting local cloudy conditions.
Finally, a layer was employed containing temperature data from active geothermal systems in Nevada, from
Garside (1994). Scant data exists on flux emissions from active geothermal areas. For this study, a flux of
100 ng/m2hr was assigned to all geothermal springs with temperatures above 85°C, and a 90 m radius.
Conclusions
The average mercury flux calculated for the State of Nevada using this approach was 3.837 ng/m2hr, ap-
proximately twice the value estimated by Lindqvist et al. (1991). This amounts to a yearly natural emission of
approximately 13,680 kg for Nevada.
Zones of alteration in Nevada, which comprise 3.3% of the area, emit approximately 12% of the mercury.
The remaining 88% is from isolated altered zones outside the alteration polygons, and from unaltered rocks
having very low concentrations exposed over very large areas.
Based on field measurements and substrate concentration, unaltered geologic rock units exhibit an average
flux range of 3.18 to 4.29 ng/m2hr. The unaltered geologic unit with the highest flux was Recent playa and
lake deposits, which averaged 5.30 ng/m2hr. However, this average is probably influenced by anthropo-
genic mercury migrating downstream from historic mining districts into lakes and playas.
Based on 1994 LANDSAT data, active and recently active precious metal mines constitute a small percent-
age of the THg emissions in Nevada. Our data indicate that substrate within recently active precious metal
mines, constituting 0.1% of the area of Nevada, produce approximately 0.8% of the total natural mercury
flux (77.5 kg/yr). Porphyry copper mines emit a negligible amount of mercury, compared with other sources.
This scaling exercise suggests that natural sources contribute significantly to the global mercury pool. Large
areas of low natural mercury concentration generate more mercury flux than small regions of higher concen-
tration.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Kennecott Exploration Company, Kinross Gold Corporation, the USGS,
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, and the UNR Keck Library for their help in providing data and/or
technical support for this project. This project was funded through a grant from EPRI.
References
Baedecker, P.A., Grossman, J.N., and Buttleman, K.P., 1998, National geochemical data base: PLUTO
geochemical data base for the United States: USGS Digital Data Series DDS-47, 1 CD-ROM.
Coolbaugh, M.F., Gustin, M.S., and Rytuba, J.J., 2000, Annual emissions of mercury to the atmosphere
from selected natural sources in Nevada and California: submitted.
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Engle, M.A., Gustin, M.S., and Zhang, H., 2000, Natural atmospheric mercury emissions from the Ivahoe
mining district, north-central Nevada, USA: submitted.
Garside, L.J., 1994, Nevada low-temperature geothermal resource assessment: Nevada Bureau of Mines
and Geology open-file report OF94-2, 108 pp.
Hess, R.H., and Johnson, Gary, 1997, County Digital Geologic Maps: NBMG Open File Report 97-1,1 CD.
Lindqvist, O., Johansson, K., Aastrup, M., Anderson, A., Bringmark, L, Hovsenius, G., Iverfeldt, A., Meili, M.,
andTimm, B.,1991, Mercury in the Swedish environment: Water Air and Soil Pollution, v. 55, pp. 1-
261.
Mason, G.T., and Arndt, R.E., 1996, Mineral resources data system (MRDS): USGS Digital Data Series
DDS-20, 1 CD-ROM.
Silberman, M.L., and Berger, B.R., 1985, Relationship of trace-element patterns to alteration and
morphology in epithermal precious-metal deposits, in Berger. B.R., and Bethke, P.M., Eds.,
Geology and geochemistry of epithermal systems: Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 2, pp. 203-
247.
Tingley, J.V., 1998, Nevada Geochemical Data: NBMG Open File Report 98-8, 1 CD-ROM.
U.S. Weather Bureau, data from http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/lcd.html.
3.5.7 Mercury Emission and Re-emission from Diffuse Area Sources: The
Dilemma of Small Emissions from Large Surfaces, the "Inert" Nature of
Elemental Mercury Vapor, and Missing Sinks in the Global Mercury Cycle -
S. E. Lindberg (Presenter), Environmental Sciences Division, ORNL; M.
Gustin, UN-R; H. Zhang, Environmental Sciences Division, ORNL; and S.
Brooks, NOAA-ATDD
Introduction
Atmospheric sources are significant in the cycling of Hg in the biosphere, but there have been few reliable
measurements of air/surface exchange of Hg in terrestrial or aquatic systems until recently. The ability of
mercury to form highly volatile compounds in soils and waters through chemical and biotic interactions gives
it the unique ability to be re-emitted after deposition. In geological substrates, some mineral forms of Hg
also release volatile elemental Hg vapor (Hg°). The role of re-emission and diffuse-source emissions such
as from mining sites and geologically enriched soils can not be properly assessed until proven methods
have been demonstrated. Similarly, the effectiveness of mandated point-source emission controls and
remediation of contaminated areas such as historic and current mining sites cannot be determined without
an understanding of the overall contribution of diffuse and point sources to regional and global cycles.
Surface Flux Measurement Methodology
In the last decade there have been significant developments in the areas of automated field analysis, flux
chamber enclosure, and tower-based micrometeorological gradient methods for measuring gas-phase Hg
fluxes over waters, soils, and vegetation (e.g. Meyers etal. 1996, Lindberg etal. 1995, PoissantandCasimir
1998, Gustin et al. 1999). Numerous groups have now applied these methods in flux campaigns around the
world, and the data base on Hg fluxes has increased significantly. An important milestone was reached in
1997 when scientists from several countries collaborated in an EPRI-sponsored field intercomparison of Hg
flux measurements using seven field flux chamber designs and four micrometeorological approaches at the
Steamboat Springs Geothermal Area, Reno, Nevada (Gustin et al. 1999 a,b). This study discovered and
quantified for the first time important controls on Hg fluxes from a diffuse Hg-enriched, desert landscape
(Lindberg et al. 1999, Poissant et al. 1999, Wallschlager et al. 1999), developed new theories of Hg vapor
emission from soils (Zhang & Lindberg 1999), and led to important improvements in flux measurement
methods (Zhang et al. a & b, in prep.).
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New Findings Regarding Hg Fluxes from Natural Landscapes
One particularly important observation of recent flux studies is that many conventional chamber measure-
ment methods underestimate landscape-scale Hg emission rates, suggesting that much of the flux chamber
data in the literature may be biased low (e.g. Carpi and Lindberg 1998). The bias results from the common
use of relatively low flushing rates in soil flux chambers deployed at remote field sites. These low rates have
the effect of suppressing soil fluxes, especially over enriched soils where diffusion gradients may be artifi-
cially reduced in poorly mixed chambers. A series of papers is now in review describing this phenonenon, its
theory based on boundary layer development, and means by which to correct the problem (Zhang et al. a&b,
in prep.). Another important finding from recent field and lab studies is that Hg fluxes from soils are strongly
influenced by external factors in a manner suggesting that simple diffusion may not control fluxes from soils
under all circumstances, as often proposed (e.g. Johnson and Lindberg 1995). Rather, the new data indi-
cates that fluxes of Hg° from soils are controlled by surface exchange processes at the soil surface (Zhang
and Lindberg 1999). Elemental mercury vapor seems to be loosely bound to mineral particles, and is readily
released in exchange for other compounds or when energy is added to the system (e.g. in the form of solar
radiation). We have demonstrated that both water and some atmospheric molecular trace gases both have
the capacity to enhance Hg fluxes from soils which contain elemental Hg as a contaminant, or in a natural
geological form (Lindberg et al. 1999, Zhang and Lindberg 1999). We and others have already demon-
strated that soil Hg° can also be readily mobilized by solar radiation (Gustin et al. 1999, Carpi and Lindberg
1998). These processes have important implications for predicting Hg fluxes from former mining sites.
The Dilemma of Hg Re-emission and Scaling Small Fluxes from Large Areas
These observations are particularly interesting because nearly all recent data from direct measurements of
Hg fluxes over diffuse surfaces indicate that the actual measured fluxes far exceed those derived from or
used in global cycling models (e.g. see Gustin and Lindberg 2000a, Zhang and Lindberg 1999). Overall, the
recent data base of measured fluxes often exceeds average values used for diffuse sources in global mod-
els by an order of magnitude or more. Hence, considerable effort is needed in developing methods for
scaling field measurements from geologically enriched soils to the full landscape (see Gustin and Lindberg
2000 a&b, also Gustin this workshop). However, geologically enriched areas in the U.S. cover a relatively
small area, and one might argue that the overall uncertainty of scaling these fluxes is most important in
regional cycles, especially in the West. A more difficult problem concerns scaling Hg emissions and re-
emissions from background landscapes. There is considerable evidence that Hg, once deposited, has the
capability to be re-emitted from environmental surfaces (e.g. Mason et al. 1994, Kim et al. 1995), and that
re-emission is significantly enhanced by green plants via a transpiration-like process (Lindberg et al. 1998).
Such fluxes are readily measured, but separating the resulting atmospheric Hg into primary (emission) and
secondary (re-emission) sources is no simple task. It has been estimated that man has introduced several
hundred thousand tons of Hg into the atmosphere in the past few hundred years (Nriagu 1989), much of
which has accumulated in recent surface soils.
It would require only a small percentage of this accumulation to be re-emitted to make a significant contribu-
tion to the atmospheric budget on regional and even global scales. Such flux estimates can vary widely and,
of course, carry a large uncertainty because they represent very large areas. Herein lies the dilemma. For
example, after scaling, a flux of 1 ng/m2hr (a very low flux for clean background soils, Zhang and Lindberg
1999) representing of an area of 100 km2 (~6 average size golf courses) is equivalent to a flux of 1000 ng/
m2hr (a very high average flux from Hg-enriched soils, Gustin) representing 0.1 km2 (a typical area for a
western mine spoil). Based on a scaling of background fluxes over forests, Lindberg et al. (1998) suggested
that the global model of Mason et al. (1994) may have underestimated natural Hg fluxes by -400-2000 t/yr
(~40-300%). Their upper estimate (3200 t/yr) would exceed oceanic evasion and approach anthropogenic
sources worldwide. In this analysis, Lindberg et al. used a relatively conservative scaling approach, but the
large areas of background soils and forested areas involved suggest that even small fluxes from natural
surfaces can dominate the global Hg cycle.
There has been considerable debate on the relative importance of so-called natural vs. re-emitted Hg sources
in regional and global cycles (e.g. Rasmussen 1994, Fitzgerald et al. 1997). While this is an important
debate, we should not lose site of the fact that neither source type is readily controlled or regulated, regard-
less of the ultimate source of the emitted Hg. If regulatory agencies do not include such surface sources in
their development of emission control policies for industrial sources, an accurate cost-benefit analysis is not
possible. In this regard, it is especially important to understand the role of "old Hg" in watershed bio-
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geochemical cycles. Old Hg is that portion of the existing pool that is derived from past deposition of
anthropogenic and natural atmospheric Hg. If the Hg which accumulates as MeHg in biota is largely derived
from old pools within a lake or watershed, then reduction of industrial emissions may have less than the
expected benefit on Hg levels in the aquatic food chain at sites distant from local sources (most lakes with
elevated fish Hg fall into this category). This may mean that more severe reductions will be necessary to
achieve the required reduction in Hg levels in fish, or that controls of industrial emissions will need to be in
place for a long time before benefits are seen at remote sites.
This does not limit the need for a sound Hg regulation policy, but argues strongly for a more complete
understanding of old and re-emitted Hg. While this has been an intractable problem for past field studies,
recent developments and improvements in the stable isotopic analysis of Hg (e.g. Hintellman et al. 1997)
provide hope for future success in separating and quantifying the roles of these processes in lake/water-
shed systems. The new international METAALICUS project is now being developed in Canada to address
this issue (Mercury Experiment to Assess Atmospheric Loading in U.S. and Canada, http//
www.biology.ualberta.ca/METAALICUS/METAALICUS.htm). This multi-collaborator and interdisciplinary study
will involve a whole-ecosystem manipulation with different stable isotopes to distinguish between the accu-
mulation of old vs newly deposited Hg in contributing to the current load of MeHg in aquatic biota. The
project will also seek to develop the first ever field-scale relationship between Hg deposition rates and fish
accumulation levels, while also separating out the relative contributions of Hg from uplands, wetlands, and
in-lake sources. Preliminary data from exploratory isotope additions to upland soils, wetlands, and lake
enclosures indicate that some of the newly deposited Hg (applied as Hg2+ salts in rain or throughfall) is
rapidly reduced to Hg° and re-emitted back into the atmosphere within a very short time of deposition (Lindberg,
Hintelmann, St. Louis, Southworth, Krabbenhoft, and Amyot, unpublished data).
Atmospheric Speciation of Emitted Hg and Missing Sinks in the Global Cycle
Another major recent advance in Hg cycling was the development of methodologies for determining the
Speciation of atmospheric Hg. The discovery of measurable levels of water-soluble Hg compounds (reac-
tive gaseous mercury, ROM) in both flue gas, and, more recently, ambient air has significant implications for
modeling the fate of airborne Hg. Prior to about 1990, atmospheric Hg was considered to consist primarily
of elemental Hg vapor (Hg°). This species is important because of its volatility and long residence time,
making Hg a truly global pollutant since its lifetime in the atmosphere is on the order of 1 y. Earlier studies by
Brosset and Lord (1991) and Johnson and Braman (1974), while limited by then available approaches,
suggested the potential for the existence of measurable levels of divalent Hg species in air. Although the
earliest data has since proved to be quantitatively unreliable, we now realize that divalent species do exist in
ambient air in low but important concentrations, and methods have been published which are now in routine
use for these compounds (e.g. Stratton and Lindberg 1995, Landis and Stevens 2000). These studies have
demonstrated that so called RGM can represent a few percent of total airborne Hg in ambient air distant
from local sources (concentrations around 20-50 picograms per cubic meter (pg/m3), but can reach levels
several hundred times higher near point sources. More importantly, RGM, because of its higher water
solubility and reactivity, exhibits a far higher dry deposition velocity and wet deposition washout coefficient
than does Hg°, and may contribute to local ecosystem loading far in excess of its contribution to the atmo-
spheric burden (Lindberg and Stratton 1998).
For these reasons, regulatory agencies and the scientific community as well have sought to emphasize the
importance of RGM over that of its relatively inert and longer lived cousin, Hg°. Many have suggested that
emission controls should first target RGM, then later address Hg° which will be far more expensive to
remove. For these and perhaps other reasons, some have also suggested that other sources of atmo-
spheric emissions which are solely in the form of Hg°, such as geologic sources, historic and orphaned mine
wastes, and active mining concerns, represent a lower regulatory priority. This is because the Hg° emitted
during these activities, being relatively insoluble and inert, simply joins the global pool where it is slowly
oxidized to forms later removed by wet deposition in remote regions. However, the recent discovery of so-
called mercury depletion events in the Arctic (Schroeder et al. 1998), and the first positive confirmation that
the depleted Hg is converted to RGM and accumulated in local snowpack (Lindberg et al. in press), sug-
gests that any and all sources of emitted Hg° to the global atmosphere, including those diffuse emissions
from mining activities, have the very real potential to rapidly accumulate in the biosphere.
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Conclusions
All these advances and their recent applications have provided important clues to the behavior of Hg in the
global biogeochemical cycle. There is no longer any doubt that Hg, once deposited, has the capability to be
re-emitted from environmental surfaces, and that re-emission is significantly enhanced by green plants via a
transpiration-like process. There is also no doubt that Hg associated with geological sources demonstrates
a similar capacity. What is in doubt is the relative role of these so-called natural emissions in the global
cycle, and to what extent "natural" emissions include re-emitted Hg. On the other end of the Hg "behavior
scale," recently measured levels of RGM compounds support the hypothesis that the dry and wet deposition
of Hg may be strongly influenced by the behavior of RGM and that elevated regional exposure may be
possible near major point sources of RGM compounds. Source measurements have indicated that RGM is
formed in combustion processes, and the recent discovery of so-called Hg-depletion events in the Arctic
suggests that there may be atmospheric reaction pathways for the direct production of RGM from Hg°. All of
these factors must be included in analyses of the risks and rewards of various control and regulation strate-
gies.
References
Brosset, C. and Lord, E. 1991. Water, Air, Soil Pollut., 56:493-506.
Carpi, A. and S.E. Lindberg. 1998. Atmos. Envir. 32:873-882.
Fitzgerald, W. F., Engstrom, D. R., Mason, R. P., and Nater, E. A. 1997. Am. Chem. Soc., 32:1-7.
Gustin, M.S., S. E. Lindberg, and M. A. Allan. 1999a. J. Geophys. Res: 104. 21829-21830.
Gustin, M-S., Taylor, G. E., and Maxey, R. A. 1997. J. Geophys. Research, 102:3891-3898.
Gustin, M.S., S. E. Lindberg, Casimir, A., Ebinghaus, R., Edwards, G., Fitzgerald, C., Kemp, J.,Kock, H.H.,
London, J,. Majewski, M., Owens, J., Marsik, F., Poissant, L, Pilote, M., Rasmussen, P., Schaedlich,
F., Schneeberger, D., Sommar, J., Turner, R., Vette, A., Walshlager, D., Xiao, Z., and Zhang, H.
1999b. J. Geophys. Res: 104. 21831-21844.
Gustin, M.S. and S. E. Lindberg, 2000. Assessing the contribution of natural sources to the global mercury
cycle: The importance of intercomparing dynamic flux measurements. Invited paper for Fresenious
Journal of Analytical Chemistry (in press).
Gustin, M.S. and S. E. Lindberg, K. Austin, M. Coolbaugh, A. Vette, and H. Zhang. 2000. Assessing the
contribution of natural sources to regional atmospheric mercury budgets. Science of the Total
Environment (in press).
Johnson, D. W. and S. E. Lindberg. 1995. Water. Air. Soil. Pollut. 80: 1069-1077.
Johnson, D. L and Braman, R. S. 1974. ES&T, 8:1003-1009.
Kim, K.-H., Lindberg, S. E., and Meyers, T. P. 1995. Atmos. Envir. 27:267-282.
Landis, M.; Stevens, R. K. Proceedings of the EPA Conference on "Methods to Measure Mercury" EPA
Report #625/R-00/002, June 2000.
Lindberg, S.E., Zhang, H., Gustin, M., Vette, A., Owens, J., Marsik, F., Casimir, A., Ebinghaus, R., Edwards,
G., Fitzgerald, C., Kemp, J., Kock, H.H., London, J,. Majewski, M., Poissant, L., Pilote, M., Rasmussen,
P., Schaedlich, F., Schneeberger, D., Sommar, J., Turner, R., Walshlager, D., and Xiao, Z. 1999. J,
Geophys. Res: 104. 21879-21888.
Lindberg, S. E., S. Brooks, C-J Lin, K. Scott, T. Meyers, L. Chambers, M. Landis, and R. Stevens, Formation
of reactive gaseous mercury in the arctic: evidence of oxidation of Hg° to gas-phase Hg-ii
compounds after arctic sunrise (Water, Air, Soil Pollut., in review).
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Lindberg, SE, Zhang, H, Vette, AF, Gustin, MS, Kuiken, T, and Barnett, MO, A study of dynamic flux chamber
measurement of mercury emission fluxes over soils: Effect of sweep gas flushing flow rates and
verification of a two-resistance exchange interface model. Atmospheric Environment (in review).
Lindberg, S.E., K-H. Kim, T.P. Meyers, and J.G. Owens. 1995. Envir. Sci. Technol. 29:126-135.
Lindberg, S. E., P. J. Hanson, T.P. Meyers, and K-Y Kim. 1998. Atmos. Envir. 32:895-908.
Lindberg, S. E. and W. J. Stratton. 1998. Envir. Sci. & Technol. 32:49-57.
Mason R. P., Fitzgerald W. F., and Morel F. M. M. (1994) GeochemicaSB, 3191-3198.
Meyers, T.P., M.E. Hall, and S.E. Lindberg. 1996. Atmos. Envir. 30: 3321-3329.
Poissant, L, Pilote, M., and Casimir, A. 1999. J. Geophys. Research, 104: 21,845-21,857.
Poissant, L. and Casimir, A. 1998. Atmos. Env., 32:883-893.
Rasmussen, P. E. 1994. Environ. Sci. Technol., 28:2233.
Schroeder, W. H., Anlauf, K. G., Barrie, L A., Lu, J. Y., Steffen, A., Schneeberger, D. R., and Berg, T. 1998.
Nature, 394:331-332.
Stratton, W. J. and S. E. Lindberg. 1995. Water. Air. Soil. Pollut. 80:1269-1278.
Wallschlager, D., Turner, R. R., London, J., Ebinghaus, R., Kock, H. H., Sommar, J., and Xiao, Z. 1999. J.
Geophys. Research, 104:21,859-21,871.
Zhang, H, Lindberg, SE, Barnett, MO, Vette, AF, Gustin, MS. Simulation of gaseous mercury emissions from
soils measured with dynamic flux chambers using a two-resistance exchange interface model.
Atmospheric Environment (in review).
Zhang, H. and Lindberg, S.E. 1999. J. Geophys. Res: 104, 21889-21896.
3.6 Watershed Impairment: Development Management Tools and Priorities
3.6.1 Mercury Contamination in Lahontan Valley Wetlands - Peter L. Tuttle
(Presenter), Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
Damian K. Higgins, Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service; and Jennifer L. Quashnick
Introduction
From about 1860 to 1900, mercury amalgamation was used in gold and silver ore milling operations in the
Comstock Mining District (e.g., Virginia City) in the Carson River basin, Nevada. At least 7,500 tons of
elemental mercury were imported to the region for ore processing, of which little was ultimately recovered
(Bailey and Phoenix 1944). Much of the unrecovered mercury was discarded in mill tailings or discharged to
the Carson River or its tributaries in mill effluent. Mercury has since become widely distributed in the lower
Carson River basin. Investigations by the Department of the Interior (DOI) documented extensive mercury
contamination in Lahontan Valley, including wetlands on Stillwater and Fallon National Wildlife Refuges
(NWR; Hoffman et al. 1990, Hallock et al. 1993, Hoffman 1994, Tuttle et al. 1996, Tuttle et al. 2000). These
shallow, alkaline wetlands provide ecologically important habitats for a diverse assemblage of migratory
birds and resident wildlife. The DOI investigations documented that mercury concentrations in water, sedi-
ment, food chain organisms, fish, and migratory birds consistently exceeded levels associated with adverse
effects to fish, wildlife, and their habitat. However, the severity of contamination varied widely with location.
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In the 1990s, Federal and State agencies initiated efforts to restore wetlands in Lahontan Valley. These
efforts include the purchase of sufficient water to restore and maintain 25,000 acres of wetlands, including
14,000 acres on Stillwater NWR. The acquisition of water is also expected to benefit water quality and
reduce concerns with poor-quality agricultural drainage. However, water acquisition is not expected to
alleviate concerns with existing mercury contamination in wetlands. In 1999, the Fish and Wildlife Service
and the EPA initiated a joint investigation to: 1) evaluate the extent and severity of mercury contamination, 2)
assess biological availability of mercury, 3) evaluate the interaction of total mercury (HgT) and MeHg in
biotic and abiotic media, and 4) evaluate the ecological implications of contamination in important wetlands
in Lahontan Valley. Information generated from this investigation will be used to identify and evaluate reme-
dial options for mercury contamination in Lahontan Valley.
Methods
Water (filtered and unfiltered), surficial sediment (< 3 cm), and whole aquatic invertebrate (Corixidae, Corisella
spp.) samples were collected from 19 major wetlands on Stillwater NWR from June to August, 1999. Corisella
samples were collected from 20 other major wetlands in Lahontan Valley, including the Carson River corri-
dor, Carson Lake wetlands, constructed wetlands on the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Indian Reservation, water
management reservoirs, and hydrologically isolated wetlands (e.g., background sites). Temperature, dis-
solved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance were determined at the time of sample collection. HgT and
MeHg analyses for water and sediment samples were performed by Frontier Geosciences, Inc. in Seattle,
Washington. HgT and MeHg analyses for aquatic invertebrate samples were performed by Toxscan Inc.,
Watsonville, California.
Results and Discussion
Mercury in Sediment on Stillwater and Fallon NWR
The most severe HgT contamination in the Lahontan Valley agricultural area generally corresponded to
water courses associated with historical (1850-1915) Carson River channels (Hallock et al. 1993). HgT
concentrations in Stillwater and Fallon NWR sediments ranged from 55 to about 22,000 ng/g. The most
severe HgT contamination on Stillwater and Fallon NWR occurred in areas closely associated with the
historical water course (e.g., Carson River and Stillwater Slough) and declined along the flow path through
the historical marsh complex. HgT concentrations were significantly lower in wetlands constructed in the
1940s. HgT concentrations in all wetlands exceeded the estimated background concentration for Lahontan
Valley soils of 40 ng/g (Lico 1992).
MeHg concentrations in sediment ranged from 0.09 to 10.60 ng/g and concentration gradients were found
on Stillwater NWR. Although sediment HgT concentrations were significantly higher in historical wetlands,
the ratio of MeHg to HgT (percent MeHg) in samples from constructed wetlands was significantly higher. No
difference in sediment MeHg concentrations was found between historical and constructed wetlands. When
samples from Fallon NWR were excluded, a strong relationship (r2=0.91) was found between HgT and
MeHg concentrations in sediment. Depression of microbial activity and subsequent methylation rates at
higher HgT concentrations (>15,000 ng/g) may, in part, account for the lower percent MeHg observed in
Fallon NWR sediments (Chen et al. 1996). HgT concentrations in the Stillwater NWR wetland sediments
were lower than concentrations associated with significant inhibition of methylation. MeHg concentrations
in sediment were negatively correlated with pH of the overlying water column.
Mercury in Water on Stillwater and Fallon NWR
HgT concentrations in the water column ranged from 17 to 16,400 ng/g. MeHg concentrations ranged from
0.8 to 9.0 ng/g. Although HgT concentrations were significantly greater in historical wetlands, no difference
in MeHg concentrations was found between historical and constructed wetlands. The majority of HgT oc-
curring in the water column was in a paniculate phase (e.g., non-dissolved). The proportion of HgT in a
particulate phase in the water column increased with turbidity. Consistent with this, we found significant
relationships between HgT in water and HgT in sediment (r2=0.65), turbidity (r2=0.67), and the combined
effect of HgT in sediment and turbidity (r2=0.87). Within the shallow wetlands of Stillwater and Fallon NWR,
turbidity is largely controlled by wind and associated agitation of bottom sediment (Tuttle et al. 2000). There-
fore, wind may be a dominant factor controlling HgT in the water column in wetlands.
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Factors controlling MeHg in the water column on Stillwater NWR are less certain. Although we found a
strong relationship between HgT in sediment and water, our data did not reveal a significant relationship
between MeHg in the water and HgT or MeHg in sediment. HgT and MeHg concentrations in the water
column did not appear to be controlled by pH, dissolved oxygen, or specific conductance.
Mercury in Aquatic Invertebrates on Stillwater and Fallen NWR
HgT concentrations in Corisella ranged from <500 to 1,400 ng/g, dry weight. Concentrations were less than
the method detection limits in about a third of the samples. MeHg concentrations ranged from 130 to 1,450
ng/g. In those samples with detectable HgT and MeHg concentrations, the majority of HgT (~100%) oc-
curred as MeHg. A concentration gradient of MeHg in Corisella was apparent along the flow path in both the
historical and constructed wetland complexes on Stillwater NWR. MeHg concentrations in Corisella were
significantly greater in constructed wetlands than in historical wetlands. We found a significant, but weak
relationship (r2=0.42) between MeHg concentrations in Corisella and MeHg in sediment. Stronger relation-
ships were found when historical and constructed wetlands were examined independently (r2=0.58 and
0.89, respectively). We also found a weak inverse relationship between MeHg in Corisella and water column
pH (r2=0.36). Statistical strength increased (r2=0.63) when MeHg concentrations in Corisella were exam-
ined using multiple regression with MeHg in sediment and pH as independent variables. These results
suggest that sediment contamination plays a role in the availability of mercury in Lahontan Valley wetlands.
However, alkaline conditions in wetlands may moderate availability. The relationship between MeHg or HgT
in water and MeHg or HgT in Corisella was not significant, suggesting that water was not the primary
exposure pathway. Corisella are predaceous and may be expected to acquire mercury through diet.
Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for MeHg in sediment to Corisella ranged from 60 to at least 1,700 times.
BAFs were significantly higher in constructed wetlands (mean = 1,098) than in historical wetlands (mean = 414).
Mercury in Aquatic Invertebrates in Lahontan Valley
Patterns of HgT and MeHg in Corisella from other Lahontan Valley wetlands were similar to those on Stillwater
NWR. The majority of HgT in Corisella occurred as MeHg. The highest mean concentrations per site group
were found in artificial wetlands, including agricultural reservoirs, impounded areas on the Carson River,
and constructed wetlands on Stillwater NWR and the Fallen Paiute-Shoshone Indian Reservation. MeHg
concentrations in Corisella were lower in samples from known contaminated areas, including Carson Lake,
Fallon NWR, Indian Lakes, and the historical Stillwater Marsh. Again, an inverse relationship was found
between MeHg in Corisella and pH.
Mercury Redistribution in Lahontan Valley
HgT distribution patterns in Lahontan Valley indicate that anthropogenic mercury was transported to and
deposited in Lahontan Valley by fluvial processes. Elevated HgT concentrations on Fallon NWR and histori-
cal wetlands on Stillwater Marsh indicate that substantial amounts of mercury were deposited in Lahontan
Valley wetlands prior to the construction of Lahontan Dam in 1915 and the subsequent modification of flow
paths to wetlands. However, elevated HgT concentrations in constructed wetlands indicate that HgT depo-
sition on Stillwater NWR has continued since river regulation. Similarly, HgT concentration gradients in
constructed wetlands indicate that mercury redistribution on Stillwater NWR has also continued. Significant
HgT loads continue to enter Stillwater NWR in irrigation quality water and agricultural drainwater discharged
to the wetlands. From 1994 to 1996, HgT concentrations in agricultural drains entering Stillwater Marsh
ranged from <100 to 3,500 ng/L (Tuttle et al. 2000). During this period, Stillwater Slough delivered a median
instantaneous load of 0.009 kilograms per day (kg/day) and Diagonal Drain delivered 0.027 kg/day to Stillwater
NWR. Loads entering the NWR may increase substantially following high flow events in the Carson River
(Hoffman and Taylor 1998).
Implications to Fish and Wildlife
Previous investigations identified concerns with HgT in water, sediment, aquatic invertebrates, fish, and bird
diet, tissue residues, and eggs in Lahontan Valley (Hoffman et al. 1990, Hallock et al. 1993, Tuttle et al.
1996, Tuttle et al. 2000). These investigations did not evaluate MeHg in biotic and abiotic samples. Con-
cerns with mercury persisted in 1999.
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The EPA chronic (96-hour) criterion for HgT in water (12 ng/L) was exceeded in all wetlands on Stillwater
NWR. Only one sample from Fallon NWR exceeded the acute (1-hour) criterion. All water samples were
well in excess of a 0.05 ng/L MeHg criterion proposed for protection of piscivorous wildlife (Schwarzbach
1998), based on bioaccumulation and bioconcentration of mercury in aquatic food chains.
HgT in sediment from all wetlands in the historical Stillwater Marsh exceeded a sediment effect threshold for
freshwater invertebrates (200 ng/g; Persaud et al. 1993). Sediment HgT concentrations in constructed
wetlands were generally near this threshold concentration. A severe effect criterion for freshwater sediment
(2,000 ng/g; Persaud et al. 1993) was exceeded in samples from Lead Lake and two sites on Fallon NWR.
Effect criteria for MeHg in aquatic sediment are uncertain.
Because of the importance of Lahontan Valley wetlands to migratory birds, birds are perhaps the ecological
endpoint of greatest concern. Diet is likely the most important pathway for avian exposure. Reproduction is
considered one of the most sensitive toxic endpoints for mercury (Wolfe et al. 1998). MeHg concentrations
in half of the Corisella samples from Lahontan Valley exceeded a 500 ng/g dietary concentration associated
with reduced reproductive success in successive generations of mallards (Heinz 1979). The majority of
Corisella samples exceeding this dietary effect concentration were from artificial wetlands. Conversely,
concentrations in samples from wetlands with high HgT concentrations in sediment were generally lower
than this effect level. All samples were well below a 3,000 ng/g dietary MeHg concentration associated with
reduced reproduction in a single generation of black ducks and lesions in nerve tissue of hatchlings (Finley
andStendell 1978).
HgT concentrations in Corisella found in our investigation (<500 to 1,400 ng/g) were generally lower than
concentrations found in previous Lahontan Valley investigations. Concentrations in these investigations
ranged from 200 to 10,800 ng/g (Hoffman et al. 1990, Tuttle et al. 1996, Tuttle et al. 2000). The highest HgT
concentrations in Corisella (and other biological samples) were generally found following the reflooding of
wetlands that had been temporarily desiccated.
Summary and Management Implications
Based on the findings of this and other recent studies, several conclusions relevant to the management of
Stillwater and Fallon NWR and other Lahontan Valley wetlands are available.
1. Substantial amounts of mercury were deposited in Lahontan Valley prior to regulation of the Carson
River. However, the transport of mercury to Stillwater NWR via water supply is continuing. The
redistribution of mercury on the refuge via water movement between wetlands has also continued.
The movement of turbid waters between wetlands may promote HgT redistribution.
2. The availability of mercury to aquatic invertebrates appears to be controlled by MeHg in sediment.
HgT concentrations in sediment and water do not appear to provide a suitable indicator of biological
risk of mercury in Lahontan Valley wetlands. As such, selective wetland management based on
HgT concentrations in sediment does not appear to be an effective remedial strategy for Stillwater
NWR.
3. The proportions of MeHg of HgT in sediment and MeHg availability to aquatic invertebrates (e.g.,
BAF) were greater in constructed wetlands despite having lower sediment HgT concentrations. As
a result, mercury risk to fish and wildlife appears to be greater in constructed wetlands.
4. Alkaline conditions in Lahontan Valley wetlands or related factors may provide some degree of
protection against mercury availability or toxicity. More information is needed to assess the signifi-
cance of pH and other related factors and the implications to wetlands management.
5. HgT concentrations in biological samples from Lahontan Valley wetlands have fluctuated over the
past decade. Variability may be related to changes in hydrologic conditions within wetlands. The
effects of changes in hydrologic conditions on rates of mercury methylation, demethylation, and
MeHg retention in Lahontan Valley wetlands are uncertain. More information is needed to assess
implications of changes in hydrologic conditions (e.g., moist soil management) to mercury availabil-
ity and ecological risk in Lahontan Valley.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded in part by the USEPA, Region 9. Wayne Praskins (EPA Region 9) assisted in
study design and Field Sampling Plan development. Mark Kutnink (EPA Region 9) assisted with Quality
Assurance/Quality Control reviews. Robert Bundy and William Henry (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stillwater
NWR, NV) provided logistical and field support. Mark Marvin-DiPasquale (USGS, Menlo Park, CA), Ray
Hoffman (USGS, Carson City, NV), Glenn Miller (UNR, NV), and Stanley Wiemeyer and Marcy Haworth
(Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, NV) provided assistance in preparation of the manuscript.
References
Bailey, E.H., and D.A. Phoenix. 1944. Quicksilver deposits in Nevada. University of Nevada Bulletin 38:12-
46.
Chen, Y., J.C. Bonzongo, and G.C. Miller. 1996. Levels of methylmercury and controlling factors in surface
sediments of the Carson River system, Nevada. Environmental Pollution 92:281-287.
Finley, M.T., and R.C. Stendell. 1978. Survival and reproductive success of black ducks fed methyl
mercury. Environmental Pollution 16:51-64.
Hallock, R.J., H.L. Burge, and P.L. Tuttle. 1993. Biological pathways - Movement of selenium and mercury.
Pages 39-53 in R.J. Hallock and L.L. Hallock (eds.) Detailed study of irrigation drainage in and near
wildlife management areas, west-central Nevada, 1987-90, Part B-Effect on biota in Stillwater and
Fernley Wildlife Management Areas and other nearby wetlands. USGS Water-Resources
Investigations Report 92-4024B.
Heinz, G.H. 1979. Methylmercury: Reproductive and behavioral effects on three generations of mallard
ducks. Journal of Wildlife Management 43:394-401.
Hoffman, R.J. 1994. Detailed study of irrigation drainage in and near wildlife management areas, west-
central Nevada, 1987-90. Part C-Summary of irrigation-drainage effects on water quality, bottom
sediment, and biota. USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 92-4024C, 32 p.
Hoffman, R.J., R.J. Hallock, T.G. Rowe, M.S. Lico, H.L. Burge, and S.P. Thompson. 1990. Reconnaissance
investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in and
near Stillwater Wildlife Management Area, Churchill County, Nevada, 1986-87. USGS Water-
Resources Investigations Report 89-4105, 150 p.
Hoffman, R.J., and R.L. Taylor. 1998. Mercury in suspended sediment, Carson River basin - Loads to and
from Lahontan Reservoir in flood year 1997 and deposition in Reservoir prior to 1983. USGS Fact
Sheet FS-001-98, 6 p.
Lico, M.S. 1992. Detailed study of irrigation drainage in and near wildlife management areas, west-central
Nevada, 1987-90. Part A-Water quality, sediment composition, and hydrogeochemical processes in
Stillwater and Fernley Wildlife Management Areas. USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report
92-4024A, 65 p.
Persaud, D., R. Jaagumagi, and A. Hayton. 1993. Guidelines for the protection and management of aquatic
sediment quality in Ontario. Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy, Ontario, Canada.
Schwarzbach, S. 1998. Mercury. Pages 91-113 in Guidelines for interpretation of the biological effects of
selected constituents in biota, water, and sediment. National Irrigation Water Quality Program
Information Report No. 3, 198 p. plus appendices.
Tuttle, P.L., C.A. Janik, and S.N. Wiemeyer. 1996. Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge wetland contaminant
monitoring. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, Nevada, 67 p. plus appendix.
134
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Tuttle, P.L., R.J. Hoffman, S.N. Wiemeyer, and J.F. Miesner. 2000. Monitoring of inorganic contaminants
associated with irrigation drainage in Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and Carson Lake, West-
Central Nevada, 1994-96. USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4173, 61 p.
Wolfe, M.I., S. Schwarzbach, and R.A. Sulaiman. 1998. Effects of mercury on wildlife: A comprehensive
review. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 17:146-160.
3.6.2 Downstream Indicators of Mining-Related Mercury Exposure: Findings
from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Its Tributaries - Darell G.
Slotton (Presenter), Department of Environmental Science & Policy,
University of California; Shaun M. Ayers, Department of Environmental
Science & Policy, University of California; and Thomas H. Suchanek,
Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of
California
In the course of numerous mercury source, distribution, and remediation studies throughout California, the
DC Davis Mercury Research Group has utilized naturally occurring aquatic organisms as key indicators of
relative Hg bioavailability. There is a tremendous amount of mercury moving through California waterways,
largely as a result of historic mining practices. Only a portion of this total loading may be readily available to
be converted into methyl mercury by sulfur reducing and other bacteria. Of the methyl mercury that is
produced, only a portion may make its way through food webs into fish and top consumers. We have found
that naturally occurring aquatic biota provide ideal indicators of relative biological mercury exposure, irre-
spective of THg loading. Different sets of indicator organisms have been found to be preferable in answer-
ing specific questions of relative temporal, spatial, and inter-habitat variation in mercury exposure. In this
presentation, we will discuss new findings from our CALFED-funded mercury study in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta, now entering its third year. We will also compare and contrast biological signatures of
mining-derived Hg in Coast Range historic mercury mining watersheds vs Sierra Nevada gold mining water-
sheds. The data indicate that meaningful, point source remediation options may exist, particularly in the
Coast Ranges. Recent biological Hg findings throughout the Delta provide a new picture of the downstream
dynamics of mining-derived Hg. We will also discuss supporting data from aqueous and sediment chemical
assays, mass loading determinations, and laboratory methylation experiments.
Mercury contamination in both the Sierra Nevada and California Coast Ranges presents a biological signal
that is clearly linked to historic mining. Low background levels of bioaccumulation have been established for
both regions, with elevated concentrations present almost exclusively in association with known mining
zones and, in certain cases, natural geothermal activity. Recent deep sediment core studies from pristine
Lake Tahoe show that atmospheric deposition of mercury has increased dramatically over the past 100
years, but that this increase is consistent with global atmospheric mercury patterns rather than localized
inputs (Heyvaert et al. 2000). In contrast, even the intense period of mercury mining, refining, and
re-volatilisation associated with the California Gold Rush left only a trace signature of atmospheric deposi-
tion in the sediment record. However, at sites that now receive only atmospheric and geologic weathering
sources of mercury, upstream of mining influences, biological signatures of mercury uptake are consistently
very low in both Sierra Nevada and Coast Range watersheds. It appears that the typical California suite of
water quality conditions is not conducive to the accumulation of problem levels of fish mercury from gener-
alized sources including atmospheric deposition. This is in contrast to other regions where trace atmo-
spheric deposition of mercury, alone, is sufficient to result in highly concentrated fish mercury. This includes
the midwestern and northeastern portions of North America, Florida, and Scandinavia. In California, we
have found that notably elevated Hg concentrations in biota are consistently associated with the additional
bulk mercury contamination specifically associated with historic mining.
Sierra Nevada gold mining Hg demonstrates a dispersed signal today across many tens of river miles in
each contaminated drainage (Slotton et al. 1995). A century or more after the major mining activity there,
the biological record indicates that the historic mercury has not entirely left these systems. Instead, a
pattern of notably elevated biotic mercury exists in certain drainages. In particular, the Yuba and Bear River
watersheds remain notably contaminated at this time, relative to most other northwestern Sierra Nevada
rivers. This is not surprising, in that these drainages are those closest to the Grass Valley/Nevada City
historic hub of gold mining activity. Another elevated mercury region with the highest overall Sierra Nevada
concentrations in stream biota was the Cosumnes River. Biota from the American and Feather River water-
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sheds were considerably lower in mercury accumulation, and sites well upstream of historic mining in all
Sierra Nevada watersheds investigated were uniformly lowest of all. While some strong point sources exist
in the Sierra Nevada historic gold mining region, the primary distribution of residual contamination across
the lengths of many rivers suggests that drainage-wide remediation may not be feasible here. Relative
differences in invertebrate and fish mercury bioaccumulation across the region described a clear ranking of
residual biological mercury contamination, though absolute fish mercury concentrations in the lotic environ-
ments were generally well below levels of concern. The major Sierra Nevada reservoirs which were built
during the 20th century act as depositional sinks for residual mining related mercury moving downstream.
These reservoirs can be expected to be important sites of mercury methylation. Recent work by USGS
confirms several of these reservoirs to have dramatically elevated mercury in some fishes. Surprisingly,
bioindicator mercury below Sierran reservoirs was uniformly low, suggesting that localized mercury methy-
lation in those systems may primarily be incorporated within the reservoir food webs, with relatively little
being exported. While potential fish concentrations of concern exist within certain reservoirs, fish mercury in
Sierra Nevada streams and rivers was generally well below health guidelines or screening levels.
Coast Range Hg exhibits strong point sources in addition to drainage-wide distributions, with dramatic spike
elevations in biotic mercury in association with abandoned mercury mines (Slotton et al. 1997, 1998). Cer-
tain of these sites appear to be important potential remediation targets. However, as the mercury mines
necessarily occur in regions that are geologically enriched in mercury, a legitimate question is: "What is the
point of remediating an abandoned mine (at considerable expense) if the entire watershed is a natural
source of generalized mercury export?" We investigated this question in the Marsh Creek watershed of
Contra Costa County, California. In mass loading studies during storm season runoff flows, we found that
95% of the entire downstream mass loading of mercury in the watershed was derived from the one mercury
mine source, Mt. Diablo mercury mine, with 88% of the load attributable to a single mine tailings pile. This
was despite the fact that 95% of the drainage's water volume and suspended sediment load derived from
non-mine tributaries. Further, it was found that mercury was being transported from the tailings almost
entirely in dissolved form. This dissolved mercury quickly partitioned onto co-precipitating iron oxyhydroxides
upon mixing of mine flows with neutralizing stream flows, but surface-adsorbed mercury in this form may be
significantly more available for methylation than other particulate mercury loads. These questions are being
addressed in current CALFED-sponsored work in the Cache Creek drainage. In any case, the Mt. Diablo
findings indicate that abandoned mercury mining sites in the California Coast Ranges may represent domi-
nant ongoing sources of downstream mercury export relative to generalized, natural watershed sources,
and that the form of this mine-derived mercury may be more bioavailable to methylating microbes.
In studies conducted in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, downstream of both primary source regions,
sediment Hg methylation potential was found to be 4-30 fold greater in organic-rich, depositional wetland
areas, as compared to adjacent channels and flats, potentially confirming concerns over large-scale wet-
land restoration projects (Slotton et al. 2000). There is the concern that large wetlands restoration projects
in the downstream depositional areas may result in significantly elevated mercury methylation to the overall
system. However, flooded Delta tracts have thus far not been found to generate higher levels of localized
Hg bioaccumulation, though their role in regional mercury methylation may be large. Flooded Central Delta
tracts were among the lowest Hg bioaccumulation regions. Preliminary data suggest that net Hg
bioaccumulation in the Delta may be relatively habitat-independent. The strongest apparent association
was with general spatial proximity to Coast Range and Sierra Nevada mining sources, with an important
additional elevated Hg bioaccumulation region in the West Delta, possibly linked to the fresh/saline transi-
tion and/or the entrapment zone.
Ongoing research seeks to define the most meaningful and cost effective potential remedial targets in the
upper watersheds. Another major focus is the identification of primary mercury methylation regions and
habitats throughout the system. Finally, the relative contribution of ongoing mercury inputs must be under-
stood relative to that mercury already deposited in the Bay-Delta, and the potential for the system's mean-
ingful recovery if those source terms could be significantly reduced.
References
Heyvaert, A.H. , J.E. Reuter, D.G. Slotton, and C.R. Goldman. 2000. Paleolimnogical reconstruction of
historical atmospheric lead and mercury deposition at Lake Tahoe, California, Nevada.
Environmental Science and Technology, 34:3588-3597.
136
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Slotton, D.G., S.M. Ayers, J.E. Reuter, and C.R. Goldman. 1995. Gold mining impacts on food chain
mercury in northwestern Sierra Nevada streams. Technical Completion Report for the University of
California Water Resources Center, Project W-816, August 1995, 46 pp.
Slotton, D.G., S.M. Ayers, J.E. Reuter, and C.R. Goldman. 1997. Cache Creek watershed preliminary
mercury assessment, using benthic macro-invertebrates. Final Report for the Central Valley
Regional Water Quality Control Board and the NSF, June 1997, 36 pp.
Slotton, D.G., S.M. Ayers, and J.E. Reuter. 1998. Marsh Creek watershed mercury assessment project:
Third year (1997) baseline data report with 3-yr review of selected data. Report for Contra Costa
County, June 1998, 62 pp.
Slotton, D.G., T.H. Suchanek, and S.M. Ayers 2000. Delta wetlands restoration and the mercury question.
Interagency Ecological Program Newsletter, (In press: November 2000).
3.7 Remediation and Treatment
3.7.7 Reducing Mercury Production at Bald Mountain Mine - Jim Wickens, Bald
Mountain Mine
Abstract
This paper discusses how Bald Mountain Mine dramatically reduced mercury production by treating process
solutions with a liquid reagent called UNR 811 A. The reagent is marketed by Cherokee Chemical Co., Inc.
A summary of the bench tests comparing several different reagents is given. The ensuing plant trial is
discussed and results are presented. The plant trial treatment costs are discussed. Finally, potential cost
savings are discussed.
Introduction
Bald Mountain Mine produces gold. Mercury is a costly by-product of the gold production because no
revenue is generated from the mercury. Minimizing or eliminating mercury production minimizes worker
health and safety risks, reduces environmental liability, and reduces costs. In the long term, minimizing
mercury production will make mine closure easier and less costly.
Bald Mountain Mine dramatically reduced mercury production by treating the process solutions with liquid
reagents called UNR 811 and UNR 811 A. Several reagents were bench tested before proceeding with a
plant trial. Results from the bench tests and the plant trial are presented and discussed. Plant trial treat-
ment costs are presented and discussed. Finally, potential cost savings are discussed.
The reagent complexes the mercury to form an organic sulfide precipitate. In independent tests, the precipi-
tate passed acid mobilization tests and is considered stable.
Bench Tests
All of the results are presented as a percentage of mercury (or other metal) removed. Because the data
were inconsistent and very difficult to analyze, it is impossible to give exact figures. However, values for
mercury in the loaded eluate ranged from 4 ppm to 58 ppm. Mercury values in the heap pregnant solution
ranged from 0.6 ppm to 0.8 ppm.
Test#1
Initially, the focus was on treating the carbon strip solution (loaded eluate) using Cherokee's UNR 1221. The
UNR 1221 removes mercury from solution by complexing the metal as an organic sulfide precipitate. The
concept was to eliminate mercury production by removing mercury from the loaded eluate prior to the elec-
trowinning cells. The mercury selective component in UNR 1221 is sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate.
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Although Cherokee Chemical Co., Inc. markets this product, application of the chemical was developed by
the UNR. Subsequently, UNR was issued a patent for use of this chemical, and other dialkyldithiocarbamates,
to remove mercury from gold bearing cyanide solutions. The results of Test #1 are summarized in Chart 1.
CHART 1
Hg Removed from Loaded Eluate - Test #1
$
100
so
60
40
20
0
500
1000
1500
2000
ppm UNR 1221 Used
Jest #2
The results from Test #1 justified a second test. Several other products were available for trial. Subse-
quently, Test #2 incorporated Cherokee's UNR 1221, UNR 1620, UNR 811, UNR 616, and Ashland Chemi-
cals' MP-9. The MP-9 was a thiocarbonate product as opposed to the carbamate based UNR 1221. Table
1 below summarizes the products and their primary constituents.
Table 1.
Product
UNR 1221
UNR 1620
UNR 811
UNR 616
MP-9
Primarv Constituents
Sodium dimethvldithiocarbamate
Potassium dimethvldithiocarbamate
Carbono trithioic acid, disodium salt
Combination of UNR 81 1 and UNR 1 221
Carbono trithioic acid, disodium salt
In addition to the loaded eluate, the various products were tested on heap leach pregnant solution. The
concept was to eliminate mercury production by removing mercury from the heap leach pregnant solution
prior to carbon adsorption. This concept was very appealing because implementing the technology would
require almost no capital expense. The reagent would be added to the pregnant solution from a tote. The
precipitate is very fine and would be carried through the column sets to the barren solution spray pumps.
Subsequently, the precipitate would be captured in the heaps.
The loaded eluate option would require the precipitate to be filtered from the loaded eluate prior to electrow-
inning. This would require capital expense for the filter equipment, facility modifications, and sludge han-
dling equipment.
Furthermore, the loaded eluate option does not eliminate worker exposure to mercury, but the heap leach
pregnant solution option would.
The reagents complex the mercury to form organic sulfide precipitates. In independent tests, the precipi-
tates passed acid mobilization tests and were considered stable.
The results from Test #2 are summarized in Chart 2 and Chart 3 below.
138
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CHART2
Hg Removed from Loaded Huatt - Test
#2
SO I,
10 I/
If
20 JI
iW -tf-
o JL
f
J
/
t
(
*s
•
1
^
"s
^
"1
M
^
••
^
^
Hg Run ovtd from Heap Prtg. - Tot #2
500 1000 1500
ppm Product Used
2000
-nan mi
-unit MI
-Ht i
-tint Kit
500 1000 1500
ppm Product Used
2000
-UHR 1111
-Him in
-Ht >
-anil tin
Except for UNR 1620 and MP-9, Chart 2 shows there was no significant difference between the different
products treating loaded eluate. The mercury analyses for the 160 ppm and 320 ppm doses of UNR 1620
were extremely anomalous and it was assumed no mercury was removed. This assumption is likely invalid.
The MP-9 demonstrated similar performance at lower dosages, but the amount of mercury removed signifi-
cantly decreased as product dose increased.
Chart 3 shows there was no significant difference between any of the products treating heap leach pregnant
solution. The dosage range was much too high for the mercury concentration. Simply stated, this was an
oversight in test protocol.
In addition to mercury, the test solutions were analyzed for gold, silver, and a host of other elements. Gold
concentrations were not affected by any of the products in either the loaded eluate or the heap pregnant
solution. There was some indication that all reagents in both the loaded eluate and the heap pregnant
solutions affected silver. Silver concentrations typically decreased with increased dosage. The effect on
silver recovery would be further investigated. Also, there was some indication that the Cherokee products
may reduce copper in the heap pregnant solution with increased dosage. Ashland's MP-9 did not seem to
affect copper in the heap pregnant solution. In the loaded eluate, the UNR 616 and MP-9 may reduce
copper concentration with increased dosage.
Test #3
The amount of tests and data analysis was becoming onerous. It was decided that this phase of tests would
be restricted to one Cherokee product and Ashland's MP-9. Cherokee was asked to select their most
competitive product. They selected UNR 811. The products were tested on loaded eluate only. For reasons
undisclosed, management did not feel comfortable treating the heap leach pregnant solution.
A head sample was analyzed for mercury prior to treatment.
selected to try and delineate the optimum dose.
The results from Test #3 are shown in Chart 4.
From this analysis, a range of doses was
139
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CHART4
Hg Re moved from LoadedHiiate - Test #3
0 500 1000 1500 2000
ppm Predict Used
I" • Hf~t * U HE 111 ~J
Chart 4 shows that MP-9 is more effective than UNR 811 at lower doses, but performs poorer at higher
doses. As in the previous test, the MP-9 performance curve peaks just short of 100% mercury removal. At
high doses, UNR 811 virtually eliminates all the mercury. Using MP-9 in an industrial application would
require good control to avoid overdosing and wasting money. The UNR 811 would be more forgiving.
Excess UNR 811 does not hurt performance, and the residual would be eventually consumed by soluble
mercury somewhere in the process.
As in Test #2, other elements were monitored. Besides mercury, silver was the only other metal significantly
affected. Chart 5 shows the effect of UNR 811 dosage on silver concentration. There is little or no effect up
to 100 ppm. Plant doses are usually much less than 100 ppm. Therefore, silver recovery should not be
significantly affected. However, it must be acknowledged that silver could be significantly affected by very
high doses.
CHARTS
Af Removed from Loaded Eluate - Test
|
«
100
80
40
20
0
500 1000 1500
ppm Product Used
2000
Test #4
Test #4 is another comparison between MP-9 and UNR 811. The purpose of this test was to try to replicate
the results in Test #3. Also, Degussa's TMT 15 was added to the test. Degussa had heard of the tests and
requested their product be included. Chart 6 on the next page summarizes the results.
140
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CHART 6
Hg Removed from Loaded Eluate - Test #4
500 1000
ppm Product Used
•H f-l
•UHft 111
•TH T 1$
Chart 6 shows MP-9 was again more effective than UNR 811. The decrease in performance for both
products at 800 ppm seems anomalous. TMT 15 was not competitive. Unlike the previous two tests, MP-9
did not show a peak in performance. Most likely, this is because the dosage range was not high enough to
capture the peak. Also, the performance of MP-9 and UNR 811 did not replicate Test #3.
Plant Trial
Justification
Approximately 18 months had elapsed since the bench work began. A great deal of money had been spent
on mercury analyses. It was taking four to six weeks to receive mercury analyses, and when they arrived,
the analyses sometimes generated more questions than answers. Replicating results seemed impossible.
A small amount of frustration was setting in, and it seemed like the bench tests could go on forever without
producing anything quantitative. Besides, plant performance could be drastically different than the lab.
However, the bench work proved the products remove mercury from process solutions. The only questions
were, "How much and at what cost?" There were two courses of action. A plant trial could be performed to
generate "real life" costs, or the project could be "back burnered" in favor of more pressing issues.
Cherokee and Ashland tabled proposals for a plant trial treating the loaded eluate. Using the results from
Test #4, annual treatment costs were calculated. UNR 811 proved to be more cost effective. Although less
MP-9 was required to remove an equivalent amount of mercury, the unit cost of MP-9 was significantly
higher resulting in higher overall cost. In addition to the higher cost, overdosing MP-9 could result in de-
creased performance. Both proposals included all dosing equipment and an on-site method to measure
mercury in the reagent cost. However, Cherokee proposed a cold vapor AA, which was more attractive than
the Hach titration method proposed by Ashland.
Unfortunately, the annual cost to treat the loaded eluate with UNR 811 plus the required capital expense to
use it far exceeded any potential savings. Treating the loaded eluate was not going to happen. However,
another attempt was made to convince management to treat the heap leach pregnant solution. It seemed a
total waste of effort to abandon the project without knowing what would happen in "real life." Even if the plant
trial proved uneconomic, the information would be valuable. Intuitively, a plant trial was the right thing to do.
The costs were scaled from Test #4 to fit current mercury levels in the heap pregnant solution. Also, current
operating costs from Beartrack Mine in Idaho were factored into the analysis. Beartrack was using UNR 811
with a great deal of success. Annual treatment costs for heap pregnant solution, based on the bench tests,
were in the order of $120,000. In the end, management agreed to commit $20,000 for a plant trial. Expec-
tations were that this would provide enough product to see a significant decrease in refinery mercury pro-
duction and provide "real life" costs. In addition, it was felt that the $120,000 annual cost was very conser-
vative. Actual costs were expected to be much lower. When the actual mercury levels were analyzed, it
141
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became clear that mercury recovery to carbon was only about 20%. Therefore, the current levels were a
function of a circulating load of mercury that had accumulated over a long period of time. Once the load was
removed, mercury levels should drop significantly and stay low. Accordingly, the required amount of reagent
should drop significantly. All analyses aside, the definitive proof would be reduced mercury production from
the retort.
Implementation
At the time of the plant trial, Bald Mountain Mine was producing from two separate heap leach facilities,
Process #2 and Yankee. The plant trial would take place at Yankee for several reasons. First, approxi-
mately 55% of the mercury produced came from Yankee. Secondly, Yankee was in the initial stages of
closure, and the decreased gold concentration resulted in higher mercury recovery. Finally, any mercury
removed by the reagent could dramatically improve closure time.
In addition, Cherokee introduced a new product, UNR 811 A. UNR 811A was UNR 811 combined with an
undisclosed amount of sodium diethyldithio-carbamate. The plant trial would incorporate head-to-head
evaluation of these two products.
Some consideration was given to treating the barren solution, but treating the pregnant solution was more
attractive. The intent was to complex the mercury before it had a chance to adsorb onto the carbon. Given
the limited funds available for the plant trial, this appeared to be the best option for quick results. The risk
was possible fouling of the carbon with the precipitate. However, the precipitates formed in the lab were
very fine. Expectations were that the precipitate would carry through the column sets and get pumped to the
heap. The barren solution option would likely work, but any effects would take much longer to materialize.
Results
There was no significant difference between UNR 811 and UNR 811 A. The effect on refinery mercury
production was almost immediate and dramatic. Chart 7 shows the reduction in refinery mercury production
after treatment began on 17 May 1999 (denoted by the square). Prior to treatment, mercury production was
typically 50 pounds per month or more. Immediately prior to treatment, production for April 1999 was 172
pounds. At the end of the first full month of treatment, production was down to 26 pounds. Refinery mercury
production has ranged from 2 to 8 pounds per month since June 1999.
CHART"'
Monthly Refinery Hg Production
CHARTS
Hg Level - Yankee Process Preg
10-
0.5 .
/ \
~\ / \
\/ V-
^
'~\
Chart 8 shows the reduced mercury content of Yankee pregnant solution after treatment began (denoted by
square).
Based on the success experienced from treating Yankee pregnant solution, the plant trial was expanded to
include Process #2. Again, the pregnant solution was treated prior to the carbon columns. At the time,
Process #2 was expected to generate more mercury because of an ore change. Chart 9 shows the effects
of treatment on mercury in the pregnant solution during treatment (between squares).
During the plant trial, overall recovery from the leach pads decreased. There were some skeptics question-
ing the effects of the reagents on gold recovery. To appease the critics, several cold AA leach tests compar-
ing with reagent and without reagent were performed immediately. Out of 24 pairs, 22 showed higher AA
values with reagent than without reagent. The other two were within AA machine sensitivity. Later, several
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bottle roll tests were performed to support the cold AA findings. Again, the bottle roll results suggested the
reagent improved recovery (if it had any effect at all). In retrospect, the poor leach pad recovery was (is) a
function of preg robbing organic carbon in the LJ Ridge orebody.
Concerning silver recovery, Chart 10 summarizes gold and silver production.
The data do not indicate any problems with silver production. Although there is a dip in silver production
during the trial period, the same dip occurs the previous year during the same time frame. This corresponds
to mining in LJ Ridge Pit as opposed to Top Pit. Top Pit ore has more silver.
C HART 9
Hg Level - #2 Process Preg
CHARTie
Monthly Gold and Silver Production
0.8
0.7
0,6
0.5
04
0.3
0
0.
_v
z.
Another potential benefit associated with removing mercury from the process solution is higher recovery.
Chart 11 summarizes Yankee gold recovery 38 days before and 38 days after treatment started (note: this
chart was made at the time people were questioning the effects on recovery). Intuitively, less mercury
competing for active sites on the carbon should improve gold recovery.
The chart shows gold recovery decreasing prior to commencing treatment, and this is because the heap is
in closure. The trend continues after treatment started, but takes a sharp rise about a week later. It is
unlikely the reagent was solely responsible for this improvement, but no other information is available.
Perhaps carbon and/or irrigation was cycled.
Another phenomenon observed was the apparent mercury removal from carbon in the columns. Chart 12
below shows the difference in mercury levels before and after the carbon columns.
CHART 11
Yankee Process Gold Production
CHART 12
#2 Process Hg Levels
•II i.,. i,f.
.c.i... 11
It is theorized that removing mercury from the solution upsets the solution chemistry equilibrium. Subse-
quently, mercury desorbs from the carbon to maintain that equilibrium.
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Costs
Combining the Yankee and Process #2 plant trials, the total quantity of heap pregnant solution treated was
approximately 590.5 million gallons. The weighted average mercury concentration was 0.40 ppm at the
beginning of the trial and 0.01 ppm at the end. Approximately 1,900 pounds of mercury was removed at a
reagent cost slightly under $10 per pound or 30 per 1,000 gallons treated. The total reagent cost was about
$18,500.
In comparison, traditional closure uses fresh water rinsing and carbon adsorption to remove the mercury.
The labor, power, and supplies are expensive. Even taking the gold produced during rinsing into account, a
conservative equivalent cost to remove the same quantity of mercury would be approximately $4,000 per
pound removed or $7.6M.
In addition, closing heaps as fast as possible is prudent. The ever-changing regulations and deteriorating
public perception makes it harder and more expensive for mines to meet closure criteria.
Summary
Treating heap leach process solutions with mercury selective reagents to form stable organic sulfide precipi-
tates is a very economic alternative to traditional closure practices. The potential cost savings are consider-
able.
The reagents tested appear to reduce other metals such as arsenic, nickel, and iron. This is more apparent
in solutions with low cyanide concentrations. In the plant trial, there was no noticeable effect on gold, but
intuitively, gold recovery to carbon should improve with less competition from other metals. The bench tests
indicate silver recovery could be significantly affected by reagent doses exceeding 100 ppm.
Furthermore, the circulating load revelation has changed the approach to applying the technology to milling
applications. For an operation like Cortez Gold Mines, it is not the small amount of mercury leaching from
the ore in the mills at any particular point in time that presents the main problem. The main problem is the
higher levels of mercury in the internal and external reclaim water systems that have built-up over time. So,
by treating the reclaim water systems, Cortez was able to significantly reduce refinery mercury production.
Minimizing mercury production has several other benefits too. Without going into detail, some of these are:
minimizing worker health and safety risks
improving public perception and relations
reducing environmental liability, short-term and long-term
staying in business
Again, this technology is extremely promising for removing dissolved metals from process solutions. For
example, products are available that selectively remove arsenic. These products require further investiga-
tion. Also, the precipitates formed from this method of treatment need to be subjected to other environmen-
tal tests such as meteoric water mobility and mobility under oxidizing conditions. The long-term stability of
the precipitates must be defined before environmental stakeholders will "buy in." At the time of writing, a
joint test program between Placer Dome U.S. Inc., Bald Mountain Mine, The UNR (Dr. Glenn Miller), and
Cherokee Chemical Co., Inc. is underway investigating these concerns.
Acknowledgements
The author gratefully acknowledges the following Bald Mountain Mine employees for their assistance with
this initiative. Kirk Nicholes, Metallurgical Technician, performed all the bench tests, performed plant trial
surveys, and managed all the data produced. Randy Buffington, Projects General Foreman, provided the
traditional closure costs. Vince Lofftus, Process Superintendent, provided the editing. A special thanks
goes out to all the process operators who kept the reagents running and tolerated the less than pleasant odor.
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3.7.2 Assessment and Remediation at the Mother Lode Mine, Crook County,
Oregon • N. Toby Scott, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ)
Background
Large deposits of mercury bearing rock types occur in the southwestern, central and southeastern parts of
Oregon. The majority of the mercury is found in Tertiary aged host rocks including volcanic flows, breccias,
plugs, tuffs, tuffaceous lakebed sediments, and marine and fluvial lakebed sediments. Cinnabar (HgS) is
the most common mercury bearing mineral found and is usually deposited from mineralized hot waters
which entered into fault zones, fractures, voids and in some places replaced the host rock as solutions
cooled (Brooks, 1963).
Although little mining or processing has occurred in the last 20 years, the mining activities of the last century
have left behind potential impacts to human health and the environment. The Oregon DEQ has recently
begun the evaluation of approximately 40 former mines and 120 former prospects identified by the State's
Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (Brooks, 1971). Although 90% of the production is from five
mines, many of the smaller mines and prospects may pose an adverse effect on human health and the
environment. The major criteria used to prioritize sites includes the reported production, amount of ore
material excavated, proximity to vulnerable habitat, amount of disturbance to the land, and other site condi-
tions that may present an unacceptable risk for current or future human health or the environment. DEQ
Site Assessment program is conducting initial sampling at most of the former mine sites and at some of the
larger prospect sites. Initial activities include site reconnaissance and preliminary sampling. The mine sites
will be placed on the state's Environmental Cleanup Site Information database and based on the site discov-
ery process will place a priority on each site for further assessment. DEQ has been working cooperatively
with the USFS and BLM, to assist in the assessment process, since many of the sites are on Federal land
administered by one of the agencies.
The Mother Lode Mine (MLM) is an example of how the USFS Ochoco National Forest (ONF) and DEQ
have worked cooperatively to assess, evaluate risk pathways and concur on an effective remedy to meet
both State and Federal standards. Although there are other contaminants at the site that were included in
the recent remedial action, this paper will focus on the assessment and remediation of the contamination
related to the mercury from mining operations.
History and Setting
The MLM, located in the Johnson Creek Area within the Ochoco mining district, was the location where
mercury was first discovered in 1900. The MLM was one of four productive mines located along a north east
trending zone of faulting and thermal alteration within the Eocene Clarno Formation. The occurrence of
cinnabar deposits (mercury sulfide) is confined to broad, hydrothermally altered zones of faulting and frac-
turing defined by the structural trends (Brooks, 1963). The cinnabar is present in small, scattered ore bodies
as fracture filling, thin veinlets, and coatings. The ore bodies typically occur in crushed, altered fault breccia
and gouge, rich in clays, silica, and carbonates.
Since the discovery in 1900, at least 15 companies, individuals, or other entities have owned, operated, or
leased the Mother Lode Mine Site, with several brief periods of inactivity (Brooks, 1963). Mining has con-
sisted of both underground and surface mining. On-site milling processes over the years have included the
use of a Gould rotary furnace, a double D-Tube Retort, a multiple Herreshoff furnace, a number of condens-
ing systems, jigs, a disintegrator and a table concentrator (CES, 1997). At various times in the past, ore has
been trucked off-site for further processing. Currently, the assorted entrances to the more than 3,000 feet of
underground workings are caved in or destroyed. The actual mercury production between 1900 and 1972
for the mine likely differs from the published figure of 352 flasks and could be as high as 900 flasks (Brooks,
1971 and CES, 1998).
The Mother Lode Mine Site, at an elevation of approximately 5,900 feet above mean sea level, consists of
approximately 6 acres on the north slope of Lookout Mountain. The area is part of the Canyon Creek
drainage. Canyon Creek, which runs along the base of the site, flows northwest into Ochoco Creek about
five miles northwest of the site. In addition to the mine history at the site, there are site specific conditions
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that made the site vulnerable to environmental impact, including: 1) proximity to hiking trail and camping
area, 2) partially exposed mine workings and buildings, and 3) slopes in excess of 20% prone to erode into
Canyon Creek.
In general, land uses in the area of the site are limited to forest watershed management, cattle grazing,
limited timber harvesting, recreation (hiking, fishing, camping, hunting, etc.) and limited minerals prospecting.
Site Assessment Investigation
The Mother Lode Mine was initially investigated by the USFS in 1991 due to the potential environmental
impacts as well as physical hazards exposures at the site. A Preliminary Assessment/Site Inspection (PA/
SI) was conducted in 1991 and found that the main contaminant of concern at the site appeared to be
mercury and possibly arsenic in soil at the site (HC, 1992). The results of the investigation found THg in soil
up to 23,500 ppm, with background levels at about 5 ppm Hg. In 1994, a Preliminary Risk Estimate (PRE)
was prepared, focusing on the risk to hikers and campers using the area in and around the Mother Lode
Mine. The PRE recommended site controls, such as signs and/or fencing to reduce or eliminate risks posed
by the site to the hiker/camper (HC, 1994a). ONF conducted an additional site investigation in 1994 to allow
the EPA to complete a hazard ranking evaluation of the site (HC, 1994b). The report concluded that, with the
exception of mercury, concentrations of metals detected in soil, sediment, and surface water at the site were
generally equal to values detected in the background samples.
Subsequent investigations by the ONF conducted under the oversight of the DEQ were completed to deter-
mine magnitude and extent of mercury contamination in soil, and evaluate adit seeps, surface water and
sediment in Canyon Creek (CES, 1997, 1998). The investigation found elevated mercury in soils near the
former mill buildings, the D-tube retort building, and the open pit mine. Sediments in Canyon Creek
downgradient of the site were also found to be up to 20 times the background concentrations. Surface water
in Canyon Creek and filtered adit seeps do not appear to be impacted from mercury or acid mine drainage
effects. Adit seeps containing mercury-enriched sediment flowing into Canyon Creek, as well as physical
erosion at the site may be mechanisms for the elevated sediment in the creek. Mercury concentrations in
Canyon Creek sediment range up to about 10 ppm, about 20 times background levels. Testing forTCLP on
a subset of samples indicated that soil exceeding 1000 ppm THg had the potential to exceed the regulatory
TCLP limit for mercury (CES, 1998).
Risk Assessment
A site specific risk assessment was conducted at the site to evaluate potential human health exposures as
well as ecological receptors. The Risk Assessment encompassed the EPA guidance for conducting Risk
Assessments, entitled Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS), and the State of Oregon's estab-
lished protocol for conducting human health and ecological risk assessments under Oregon Administrative
Rules, Chapter 340, Section 122. A human health risk assessment was conducted for the case of a camper
residing at the site for two weeks per year, a hiker walking through the site 1 day per year, and an angler
consuming catchable fish (greater than 6 inches) located about five miles downstream of the site. The
camper scenario resulted in the lowest concentration of mercury in soil to achieve acceptable risk levels
(500 ppm) (CES, 1997).
The following ecological receptors were considered to pose a potential threat: fish in Canyon Creek, benthic
invertebrates in sediment in Canyon Creek, and terrestrial wildlife in and around the processing areas of the
mine. An acceptable ecological risk threshold for site soils was set at 2000 ppm (CES, 1997).
The DEQ revised Cleanup Law (OAR 340 122-115) defines the term "hot spot" according to the Oregon
cleanup rules. In the case of mercury-contaminated soil at the site a "hot spot" is defined as "10 times the
acceptable risk level for human exposure to each individual non-carcinogen." Since the acceptable risk
level has been set at 500 mg/kg for mercury, the "hot spot" level would be soil with a concentration of 5000
mg/kg and above. Hot spots of contamination have a preference for treatment as defined in OAR 340-122-115.
Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis
The Oregon DEQ and the Ochoco National Forest have been working cooperatively under a Voluntary
Cleanup Agreement to conduct an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to evaluate remedies
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that will meet both Federal and State cleanup requirements. The remedial action objectives for the site are
to:
Reduce human health and ecological risk by lowering maximum concentrations of mercury in
disturbed surface soils to levels determined by the Risk Assessment
Remove ACBM within the guidelines of DEQ per (OAR) 340-32-5620 through 5650 and Oregon
Occupational Health and Safety (OR-OSHA) regulations per 29 CFR IQIO.IOOI^sbestos
Minimize or eliminate the risk to humans caused by the attractive nuisance of abandoned
deteriorating mine buildings, previous mining activities, and mercury-containing rock and soil
Retain significant historical evidence of mining activities to the extent possible while meeting health
and safety concerns
Mitigate vegetation-bare mining and milling waste piles.
In order to determine an appropriate remedial action for the site, a limited number of remedial action alterna-
tives were evaluated as part of the EE/CA (CES, 1998). The remedial Action Alternatives for mercury
impacted soil included:
AIM —Institutional Controls (ICs)
Alt-2—On-site containment w/ ICs
Alt-3—Excavation, Chemical/Physical Treatment and on site disposal w/ICs
Alt-4—Excavation, Thermal Treatment and on site disposal w/ICs
Alt-5—Excavation and Off-site Disposal.
It was estimated that there was approximately 10-20 cubic yards of soils at or above a hot spot concentra-
tion. Approximately 250 CY of soil was estimated to be present above the acceptable risk level. The alterna-
tives were evaluated based on the following criteria: effectiveness, implementability, reasonableness of
cost, long-term reliability, and implementation risk (CES, 1998). Alternatives 3,4, and 5 were considered the
best to achieve protection at the site and Alternative 3 was selected for cost and logistical reasons. In
addition to the contaminated soil, the remaining buildings on site had the potential to have mercury residues
as well as asbestos. The Remedial Action Alternatives for mercury impacted building materials included:
AIM-ICs
Alt-2—Demolition and on-site disposal
Alt-3—Demolition and off-site disposal.
Alternative 3 was selected as the preferred remedial alternative due to its long term effectiveness, ease of
implementation and cost relative to the other alternatives.
The proposed removal action approved by DEQ and the USFS (ONF, 1999) pertaining to the mercury
impacted soils include the following:
Excavation, stabilization and on-site disposal of all soil exceeding 500 ppm THg
Diversion of site surface water drainage around mine site
Amend soil, with re-grading and re-vegetating bare low grade waste piles
Preservation of 'new' processing mill and other buildings for historic purposes.
All mercury contaminated soil, along with limited amounts of mine wastes, were placed in the open pit
repository. The soil was spread and mixed with the soil additive KB-SEA (KEECO, Lynwood, WA) in an
attempt to reduce mercury solubility and leachability. The additive is silica micro encapsulation (SME). Its
physical/chemical components include an initial exothermic reaction and pH adjustment, followed by an
electrokinetic reaction and metal hydroxyl formation leading to silica encapsulation. Laboratory tests of
impacted site soil indicate mixing the additive at a rate of 2% by weight would achieve the best reduction in
mercury leachate (KEECO, 2000). Due to the inherent problems with field scale mixing of soil with the
additive, the KB-SEA was mixed at a rate of 5%. Water was added to the mix at a rate of approximately 5%
by weight and the mixture was compacted in 6-inch lifts. Confirmation samples were collected from the
treated soil and analyzed at an on-site mobile lab for THg. All samples had concentrations below the
acceptable risk level. In addition, total and TCLP mercury analyses were performed to verify the adequate
treatment.
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A total of 395 cubic yards of soil and mine wastes was excavated during the Removal Action and of that, 225
cubic yards were treated with the additive (CES, 2000). The remaining quantity is from mine waste dumps
with acceptable mercury levels but with elevated sulfur content or low pH levels located at various locations
around the Site. An additional 8000 cubic yards of low Hg mine waste soils was placed on top of the treated
material and also compacted in lifts.
In addition to the soil treatment activities, the open pit and disturbed portions of the 6 acres were recontoured
and revegetated to eliminate current erosional features. Drainage control devices were installed in the
former open pit to prevent erosion of the repository, and to control surface water flows across the disturbed
site area.
The remaining buildings on the site were prepared for demolition or for historical preservation. This included
performing asbestos abatement and disassembly of mining equipment posing a safety risk. Most of the
mine structures were demolished and transported to a solid waste disposal facility. The New Mill Building
and the D-tube retort are part of the historical preservation efforts being pursued by a local historical group.
Future Work
Implementation of the removal action was completed during the summer of 2000. Additional investigation is
planned for the sediments, and monitoring of the mine seeps and shallow groundwater related to the aban-
doned mine adits is ongoing.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank the following individuals who have contributed to this project and report:
Charlie Kurtz, On-Scene Coordinator for the ONF; John Martin, Project Manager for ONF's environmental
contractor Cascade Earth Sciences; and Mike Renz of DEQ's Spill Response and Site Assessment Pro-
gram.
References
Brooks, H.C., 1963, Quicksilver in Oregon. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. Bulletin
55, 223 p.
Brooks, H.C., 1971. Quicksilver Deposits in Oregon. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries.
Miscellaneous Paper 15.
Cascade Earth Sciences, 1997. Work Plan, Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis, Non-Time-Critical
Removal Action, Mother Lode Mine, T14S, R20E, Section 20 and 29, Crook County, Oregon. July
17, 1997.
Cascade Earth Sciences, 1998. Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis, Mother Lode Mine, Ochoco
National Forest, Crook County, Oregon. November 20, 1998.
Hart Crowser. 1992. Preliminary Assessment/Site Inspection, Mother Lode Mine, Ochoco National Forest,
Crook County, Oregon. January 28, 1992.
Hart Crowser. 1994a. Preliminary Risk Estimate, Mother Lode Mine, Ochoco National Forest, Crook County,
Oregon. March 4, 1994.
Hart Crowser. 1994b. Additional Site Investigation, Mother Lode Mine, Ochoco National Forest, Crook
County, Oregon. December 22, 1994.
KEECO, 2000. Treatability Study Report for Cascade Earth Sciences for the Mother Lode Mine, June 8,
2000.
Ochoco National Forest, 2000. Request for a Removal Action at Mother lode Mine Site, Big Summit Ranger
District, Report, July 2, 1999
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3.7.3 Mercury Pollution from the Hg Mining Area and Reclamation - Lin Yuhuan,
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of
Sciences
China is a country rich in mercury deposits. In the past half century, the total amount of production was
about 20,000 tons based on the statistics from big firms of mercury mining in Guizhou, Hunan, Kongdong,
Sichuan and Shanxi. The mercury mining areas were located in mountainous regions that cover the bounds
of Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan, the north part of Kongdong, and the south part of Shanxi. The total area is
several hundred square kilometers. The population is about 40,000-50,000 in these areas. The environ-
mental situation is formidable due to the mining and pollution of mercury ore.
The waste ore, residues and wastes of refinement, which contain mercury and other toxic elements, such
as, As, Pb, Cd, and sulfides, were deposited at the bank of streams, in the sloping lands and even in the
valley. The pollution and environmental destruction often occurred in the rainy season, especially with the
extended duration of the storms.
The investigation data illustrate that the concentration of mercury in the air of the mining area is higher than
the background value by about 10 to 100 fold. The water and soil near the mining area were polluted
seriously by the heavy metal. The concentration of the heavy metals, for example mercury, especially in the
crops and plants of the area is very high. An epidemiologic investigation concluded that part of the popula-
tion is polluted and injured.
The management and control of pollution in the area is handled by the local government and the mining
firms. The efforts include: 1) the construction of tailing dams; 2) the improvement of treatment plant of waste
water from the concentration dressing plant and from the leakage and leaching of the waste ore; 3) the
covering of the tailing dam and residue, and then the planting of grass or ramie on the covering soil for
removal of mercury; 4) the experiment of fixation of mercury in the polluted soil by lime powder and ligno-
humus during the planting.
The reclamation of the polluted areas has been a very difficult problem. The results of experiments showed
that the success of the approach on the soil is limited by many parameters.
3.7.4 Historic Unreclaimed Mercury Mines in Asturias (Northwestern Spain):
Environmental Approaches - Jorge Loredo, Universidad de Oviedo, Escuela
de Minas
Mercury Deposits in Asturias
Mercury deposits are abundant in Asturias (northwestern Spain). They are located in Precambrian to Car-
boniferous formations, however deposits are mostly found in Carboniferous sediments, predominantly car-
bonates. The most important deposits are located in conglomeratic horizons or siliceous breccias in sand-
stones and are sometimes impregnating fractured lutitic carbonaceous sequences.
These mineralizations appear as irregular veins, granular aggregates or impregnations in rocks, generally in
relation to fractured zones with high porosity, and usually coinciding with high contents of organic matter
(Gutierrez Claverol and Luque, 1993). Generally, these mineralizations show a tectonic control; there is a
clear spatial relationship between mercury deposits and late-hercynian fractures. The physical-chemical
characteristics of the mineralizing fluids and the secondary permeability in the enclosing rocks suggest that
these deposits are of epigenetic type and originated from hydrothermal solutions (Loredo et al., 1988).
Mercury generally appears in the form of cinnabar, but metacinnabar and native mercury occasionally ap-
pears too. Arsenic is usually present in the ore deposits as realgar and As-rich pyrite. Different mineralogi-
cal association types may be recognized in these deposits (Luque, 1985), but cinnabar-pyrite-melnikovite-
marcasite-stibnite-galena and cinnabar-realgar-orpiment-fluorite-tetrahedrite-schawazite-native mercury, are
the two main mineralogical associations, related to the exploited deposits. The gangue constituents are
quartz, carbonates (ankerite, calcite and dolomite) and argilaceous minerals (kaolinite and dickite).
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Historical Mining Activities
There is a long history of mercury mining in Asturias. Although mercury extraction in this region is known to
date back to the Roman period (centuries I and II), it is in the 19th and 20th centuries, when mercury mining
began to be an important and prosperous industry. The oldest mercury mining works known are located on
the Minera Valley, in the La Pena area, where in 1842 the first mining society of the modern age devoted to
the extraction of mercury was created (Dory, 1894). From this time, different mining companies were cre-
ated to exploit mercury in different parts of Asturias.
At the beginning of the 20th century an important crisis on mining mercury occurred at an international level.
The repercussion was perceived by Asturian mercury mining companies, leading to the closure of several
mines. It was in the 1940s when the activities were re-initiated in different ore deposits of the region. The
decade between 1962 and 1972 represented the most active period of mercury mining in Asturias, and it is
in this period when the most important mines (El Terronal, La Pena, La Soterrana, Branalamosa, Maramuhiz,
Piedracea, Olicio, Caunedo, etc.) were most productive. Asturias was at this time an important mercury
producer on a world scale, with an average annual production of 15,000 flasks, representing approximately
5% of mercury world production.
The international mercury crisis in 1972 gave rise to not only the paralyzation of some important mining
projects in the area, but the successive closure of all up till then active mines, between 1973 and 1974.
Then, from 1974 there was not any extractive activity from mercury mines in Asturias. Some of the most
important deposits were intermittently exploited from the 19th century until 1974, by underground mining
works.
Although the mercury mining works in Asturias are very abundant, the most important of them, related to the
volume of extracted minerals, are:
"La Pena - El Terronal" in the area of Mieres (20 km southern Oviedo -capital city of Asturias-).
"La Soterrana", in the area of Pola de Lena (30 km southern Oviedo).
In both places there were active mercury mining and metallurgical activities for years until 1974. Apart from
these important mines, other small mines have been intermittently exploited in these areas (for instance:
Los Rueldos and El Rucio in the area of Mieres, and Branalamosa and La Maramuniz, in the area of Pola de
Lena). Mining works in other areas of Asturias had been less important, for example: Caunedo, Bufarrera,
etc. Some of the mined deposits are located in sparsely populated areas, where land is predominantly used
for cattle grazing. As a result of the historical mining activities, abundant spoil heaps of different age and
dimensions, and with significant quantities of wastes with high contents in mercury, had been introduced in
the area. Unfortunately, the legacy of the historical mining activities remains in the form of old industrial
installations and significant quantities of wastes stocked in piles on the surface. No action was taken to
minimize environmental impact after the mining closure in 1974. The potential of the abandoned wastes to
pollute the environment is enhanced by the high content of arsenic in minerals of the paragenesis. Some
minor spoil heaps have been colonized with vegetation, blending in with the surrounding landscape.
At the old mining works of "La Pena - El Terronal", the upper levels of the ore deposit have been mined by
the Romans during their presence at the Iberian Peninsula in the first and second centuries. The modern
extraction of mercury had been made by drift mining and by underground mining with exploitation in 12
levels. The late 1960s - early 1970s was a time of great production, corresponding to a moment when
mercury prices were high. At that time, La Pena-EI Terronal was the second largest mine in Spain (the first
wasAlmaden mine), and the 8th largest in the world (Luque, 1992). There was a pyrometallurgic plant close
to the mines where the ore was treated in furnaces at temperatures of approximately 580°C. At this tem-
perature, the sulphide oxidizes to produce SO2 and mercury vapour, which passes through a system of
condensers to produce mercury metal. The ore was treated after leaving the condenser, and the gasses
passed through large chimneys ascending the slopes of the mountain with the purpose of preventing con-
tamination for workers. After closing down the mine in 1974, many flasks of impregnated mercury were
collected from the chimney, representing a loss during the process and a considerable source of contamina-
tion for this area. Most of the tailings from the mining works were disposed forming piles in the Minera river
valley.
The second most important in magnitude from mercury exploitation existing in Asturias is La Soterrana
mine, in Munon-Cimero (Pola de Lena), about 30 km Southeast of Oviedo, capital city of Asturias. The
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exploitation method was chambers and pillars. Tailing piles were placed in the neighborhood of the mine, on
a hillside area. Concentration of mercury from extracted mineral took place at the site of the mine by means
of retorts or tub furnace depending on the grade of mineral. The Soterrana mine produced a large part of the
mercury for sale at that time in Asturias. Taking into account losses during mining and inefficient smelting,
the total volume of mined mercury is important. Other less important mining works in this same area are
Branalamosa. The mining works are placed over the northern and southern slopes of the Branalamosa
stream, and in general, mining works and spoil heaps are covered by dense grove and thickets or by pasture
for cattle. Spoil heaps are in the immediate areas of mining works, and material from here has been used for
construction of rural paths on the area.
Environmental Approaches
The general high contents in arsenic of these ore deposits not only favored the environmental impacts of the
mining works, but interfered with their metallurgical treatment, leading some companies to interrupt their
mining activities before 1973-74. Research conducted to assess the environmental impact of contamination
for historical Asturian mercury mining is being undertaken by the Department of Mining and Exploration of
Oviedo University: Arias, 1997; Arias et al., 1998; Fernandez Albarran, 1997; Loredo et al., 1999; Pereira,
2000, Davila; 2000; Baldo, 2.000.
The local geochemical level for mercury in the areas under study, in soils not directly influenced by old
mining works, is 1.6 - 2.2 mg/kg. Comparatively, the range of mercury concentrations in surface soils in the
world varies from 0.1 rng/kg to 0.5 mg/kg (Alloway, 1995). At the site of old mining and metallurgical works,
systematic geochemical studies in superficial soils show very important mercury anomalies.
Anomalies in Soils
"La Pena - El Terronal"mining works (Mieres)—\n the area of old mining works of "La Pena - El
Terronal", pH in soils range between 3.42 and 5.93, and mercury anomalies reach up to 472.1 mg/
kg, which are clearly associated to waste piles and chimneys from pyrometallurgy treatment of ore.
Arsenic concentrations in these soils vary from 6.0 mg/kg to 7287.0 mg/kg.
"Los Rueldos"mining works (Mieres)-On the site of tailings disposal in Los Rueldos, 1 km from the
before mentioned mining works, mercury concentrations in samples systematically distributed on
the tailing pile, range from 14.0 to 2224.0 mg/kg; on the other hand, the arsenic content in the same
samples ranges from 4746.0 to 62196.0 mg/kg.
"La Soterrana" mining works (Pola de Lena,)—At the site of La Soterrana mine, in Pola de Lena,
soils have pH comprised between 4.74 and 7.59. Mercury and arsenic contents in soils vary widely
from a background of 2.0 mg/kg to 501.8 mg/kg for THg, and from 32 mg/kg to 19940.0 mg/kg for
arsenic.
"Branalamosa"mining works (Pola de Lena)—\n the Branalamosa area, 1 km from the before men-
tioned mining works, chemical analysis of the samples from the mined areas show mercury concen-
trations between 1.0 mg/kg and 895.0 mg/kg. Arsenic concentrations range from 19.0 mg/kg to
704.0 mg/kg.
Anomalies in Herbaceous Plants
"La Pena - El Terronal" mining works (La Pena)—Herbaceous plants consisting of grass are very
abundant at the site of the mining works. In soils of La Pena - El Terronal, in the area of Mieres,
herbaceous plants present an average concentration of THg of 1.635 mg/kg, and the maximum
value corresponds to 4.84 mg/kg (the average value of As content is 16.3 mg/kg, with a maximum
value of 53 mg/kg).
"Branalamosa"mining works (Pola de Lena)— In Branalamosa, in the area of Pola de Lena, herba-
ceous plants in soils of mined areas present mercury concentrations ranging from 1 to 155 mg/kg in
roots, and from 1 to 69 mg/kg in stems (the average values are 32.9 and 14.3 mg/kg respectively in
roots and stems); Arsenic content ranges between 4 and 27 mg/kg in roots and between 2 and 16
mg/kg in stems (average values are 12.5 and 7.9 mg/kg respectively).
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Anomalies in Superficial Waters
"La Pena - El Terronal" mining works (Mieres)—Mercury concentrations in superficial waters up
stream and downstream of mining works in the Minara stream which flows through the main spoil
heap corresponding to "La Pena - El Terronal" mining works in Mieres are always lower than 0.001
mg/L (detection limit of the equipment used for analysis). Arsenic concentrations increase from
values lower than 0.005 mg/L in samples collected upstream the mining works to values between
0.9 to 5.6 mg/L in samples collected downstream.
"Los Rueldos" mining works (Mieres)—Water samples corresponding to leachates from the tailing
pile in "Los Rueldos" mine, show very acidic pH between 2.43 and 2.50, average sulphates content
of 2,900 mg/L, mercury concentrations lower than 0.001 mg/L, and arsenic concentrations be-
tween 5.3 and 8.3 mg/L.
"La Soterrana" mining works (Pola de Lena)—Water samples downstream of the mining works, at
the bottom of the spoil heaps, show mercury concentrations lower than the detection limit of the
equipment used for analysis (0.001 mg/L) and arsenic concentrations range from 1.5 mg/L to 3.4
mg/L.
"Branalamosa"mining works (Pola de Lena)—\n Branalamosa stream in Pola de Lena mercury
concentrations upstream and downstream of the mining works are always lower than 0.001 mg/L.
Arsenic concentration increases from values lower than 0.005 mg/L (upstream of the mining works)
to values between 1.0 and 1.9 mg/L (downstream of the mining works).
Soil survey geochemical data were used to plot contours of THg and arsenic concentrations in surface soils
over the area surrounding the most important mining works in Asturias, and then delimitation of anthropo-
genic geochemical anomalies. Related to the high contents of mercury and arsenic in soils, it is necessary
to keep in mind that soils in the area of mining works and spoil heaps are not natural soils but a mixture of
soil components with waste materials.
Conclusions
As a result of the preliminary geochemical data obtained, mercury and arsenic are widespread and highly
concentrated in soils affected by old mercury mining works in Asturias. Geochemical anomalies in soils
around the old mining and metallurgical works of "La Pena - El Terronal," "Los Rueldos," "La Soterrana" and
"Branalamosa," are very significant in mercury and arsenic. They are clearly associated to tailings disposal
and metallurgical operations in these areas, which are the most important sources of contamination. It is
emphasized here that at sites close to the chimney of the metallurgical plants, THg and arsenic concentra-
tions are specially high (472,140 and 7,287 mg/kg, respectively at "La Pena - El Terronal" site). Mercury
and arsenic concentrations in soils decrease as a function of distance from the before mentioned sources.
From the geochemical data it can be observed that mercury and arsenic anomalies in soils are very similar
to each other in every studied area, which agrees with the high correlation factors between mercury and
arsenic in soils (r = 0.885 in "La Pena - El Terronal" and r = 0.8767 in "La Soterrana"). Element distribution
maps obtained from the soil survey surrounding the area of the mining and metallurgical works have re-
vealed similar patterns of mercury and arsenic distribution.
The study and distribution of trace elements in soils of the urban area of Mieres downtown, located 4 km
from the site of La Pena - El Terronal mining works, show evidence in some samples of their high content in
mercury and arsenic. Therefore, the addition of mercury and arsenic to the urban soils in proximity to the
mining area may be imputed to an anthropogenic source related to the mercury mining activity in the area,
and to a transport by air of fine solid particles coming from the before mentioned sources.
High arsenic levels, related to leaching of arsenic-rich minerals stocked into the tailing piles, are observed in
superficial waters downstream of the main mining works. These values are especially high at the bottom of
the spoil heaps.
Herbaceous plants (grass) sampled and analyzed in the different areas with old mining works show high
mercury and arsenic. In order to investigate the influence of mercury and arsenic levels in soils on uptake by
herbaceous plants, their biological absorption coefficients (Brooks, 1983; Kabata-Pendias and Pendias,
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1992) have been deduced: they range between 0.02 and 0.38 for mercury, and between 0.005 and 0.44 for
arsenic.
According to the geochemical data from a systematical sampling of soils, herbaceous plants and superficial
waters, at the sites of the historical mercury mining works and smelting operations in Asturias, it is evident
that anthropogenic geochemical anomalies are present in the area. They present an important environmen-
tal impact, reflected mainly by elevated concentrations of mercury in soils and herbaceous plants (grass),
and elevated concentrations of arsenic in soils, waters and herbaceous plants (grass). Geochemical and
mineralogical data from materials stocked in the tailing piles suggest that minerals of arsenic (orpiment-
realgar-arsenopyrite), and iron sulphides (pyrite-marcasite) contribute significantly to the high arsenic con-
tent found in waters downstream of the mining areas. In order to evaluate the extent of the contaminated
areas, it is strongly advisable that political authorities carry out a detailed geochemical exploration into the
area affected by these old mining works.
References
Alloway, B.J. (1995). Heavy metals in soils. 2nd. Edit. Chapman and Hall, 368pp.
Aramburu y Zuloaga, F. de (1899). Monograffa de Asturias, Oviedo.
Arias Prieto, E. (1997). Estudio sobre la contaminacion metalica en suelos en la zona de las antiguas
explotaciones de mercurio de La Pena - El Terronal. Proyecto Fin de Carrera. E.T.S. Ingenieros de
Minas. Univ. Oviedo. Inedit. 150p.
Arias, E., Loredo, J., Ordonez, A. y Garcia Iglesias, J. (1998). Mercury and Arsenic content of soils and
plants in the area of an abandoned mercury mine at "El Terronal" (Mieres, Spain). In: Contaminated
and derelict land. R.W.Sarsby (Edit.). 162-166p. Thomas Thelford. London.
Baldo, C. (2000). Impacto ambiental en areas afectadas por mineria antigua de mercurio en el Concejo de
Mieres (Asturias). Doc. Thesis. Inedit. 276p.
Bowen, H.J.M. (1979). Environmental chemistry of the elements. Academic Press, New York.
Brooks, R.R. (1983). Biological methodsof prospecting for minerals. Wiley. New York, 321 p.
Davila, A. (2000).
Dory, A. (1894). Le mercure dans las Asturies. Rev. Univ. des Mines, Metallurg., 32: 145-210
Fernandez Albarran, C.J. (1997). Estudio sobre la contaminacion de suelos por metales pesados en el area
de influencia de la antigua explotacion minera de mercurio de "La Soterrana". Proyecto Fin de
Carrera. E.T.S. Minas. Univ. Oviedo. 292p. inedit.
Gutierrez Claverol, M., Luque Cabal, C. (1993). Recursos del subsuelode Asturias. Servicio de Publicaciones.
Univ. Oviedo. 374 p.
Kabata-Pendias, A. And Pendias, H. (1992). Trace elements in soils and plants. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.
Loredo, J., Luque, C., Garcfa Iglesias, J. (1988). Conditions of formation of mercury deposits from the
Cantabrian Zone (Spain). Bull. Mineral, V.111, pp.393-400. Paris.
Loredo, J., Ordonez, A., Gallego, J., Baldo, C., Garcfa Iglesias, J. (1999). Geochemical characterisation of
mercury mining spoil heaps in the area of Mieres (Asturias, northern Spain). Journal Geochemical
Exploration, 67, 377-390p.
Luque, C. (1992). El mercurio en la Cordillera Cantabrica. En: Recursos minerales de Espana. Garcia
Guinea y Martfnez Frfas (Coords.). C.S.I.C. Textos Universitarios n°15, 803-826. Madrid.
Luque, C. (1985). Las mineralizaciones de mercurio de la Cordillera Cantabrica. Doc. Thesis. Univ. Oviedo.
Inedit.
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Pereira, A. (2000). Prospeccion de la contaminacion en el area de las antiguas explotaciones mineras de
mercurio de Branalamosa (Lena). Proyecto Fin Carrera. E.T.S. Ingenieros de Minas. Universidad
de Oviedo. Inedit. 320p.
SADEI (1968-1991). Datos y cifras de la economfa asturiana. Sociedad Asturiana de Estudios Economicos
e Industrials, Oviedo.
Vinogradov, A.P. (1959). The geochemistry of rare and dispersed chemical elements in soils. Consultants.
Bureau Inc. New York.
3.7.5 Silica Micro Encapsulation - An Innovative Technology for the Control of
Heavy Metals - Amy Anderson, Mining Services, KEECO
The Silica Micro Encapsulation Technology was developed by Klean Earth Environmental Company [KEECO]
as a more effective and simpler approach to controlling heavy metals in aqueous and solid waste than
traditional treatment technologies. The Silica Micro Encapsulation [SME] technology is comprised of readily
available materials including calcium oxide, amorphous silica, crystalline silica and a variety of metal oxides.
The proprietary manufacturing process of blending these components creates a reactive chemical product
that, when introduced to metal-laden water or soil, ultimately results in the encapsulation of metals in a
stable silica formation, or encapsulation. Over time, the silica encapsulation around the metals has demon-
strated a tendency to strengthen, enhancing the stability of treated soil materials or of the sludge produced
from water treatment. The base formula of the SME technology has been refined to create three separate
products, KB-1, KB-SEA and META-LOCK, applicable to water, solid waste and radioactive wastewater
respectively. KB-SEA is highlighted in the project examples to follow and has successfully demonstrated its
ability to treat mercury-contaminated solid waste from mine sites and other industrial sources.
The principal function of typical solidification/stabilization (S/S) technologies involves changing the physical
characteristics of the waste to improve handling and to reduce mobility of the contaminants by creating a
physical barrier to leaching. This is generally accomplished through chemical interactions using pozzolanic
mixtures or hydroxide, sulfate, phosphate or carbonate precipitates. Such techniques are capable of achieving
reduced metal mobility under regulatory leach testing conditions. However, long-term stability is often in
question as historic evidence clearly demonstrates that as pH conditions and/or as anaerobic conditions
arise after disposal, metal immobility is compromised and migration often occurs, contaminating groundwa-
ter, aquifers or surrounding surface areas. The associated liability of such occurrences is significant.
While the SME reaction process and treated material characteristics may appear quite similar to typical S/S
technologies, there are two inherently unique aspects of the technology that offer critical advantages related
to cost and long-term stability. First, the chemical is formulated in such a manner that, when exposed to
water it initiates a reaction process that involves not only precipitation and hydroxyl formation, but also an
electrokinetic reaction. This reaction serves to enhance contact with the target metals by facilitating electro-
kinetic transport of the metal particles towards the SME reactive components. As a result, in a brine or salt
solution, the SME reaction is quite vigorous. This electrokinetic factor improves chemical efficiency, thereby
reducing overall chemical usage and project costs.
The second unique aspect of the technology is its silica component. Once initial metal bonding formations
occur, the silica components form a tight matrix around the metals. This matrix, or encapsulation, is wrapped
tightly and completely about the metal particle, greatly enhancing overall stability. Under independent re-
view, the SME process has demonstrated that over time, unlike typical S/S technologies, the stability of the
treated material and immobility of the metals is enhanced. This is evident irrespective of changes in pH and
occurs in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. Thus, the long-term stability associated with the SME
treated material is significantly greater than that produced by traditional S/S methods. For example, in a
study conducted by Dr. William Chatham of Montana Tech of the University of Montana, he writes, "I have
used sequential leaches to compare the stability of sludges produced by [the SME product] KB-1 and liming
using Berkeley Pit water. A 4-stage high-density lime sludge was also evaluated. The KB-1 sludge was
more stable than both of the lime-type sludges for all steps in the sequential leaches for all elements evaluated."
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Equipment Considerations for Field Application of SME
After manufacture, all of the SME products are in the form of a dry, talc-like powder. For treatment of soil and
other solid wastes, the SME product KB-SEA is incorporated into the waste material using readily available
earth-moving equipment. Prior to introduction of the technology in a field setting, a brief treatability study is
conducted in a laboratory to determine approximate chemical dosage ratios, range of control of the target
metals (based upon pH and chemical dosage rates) and to support the selection of the appropriate mixing
equipment. For projects in which a narrow range of chemical dosage is effective, the selected mixing
equipment must be capable of effectively measuring chemical application rates based upon either weight or
volume of the treated material, such as a ribbon blender or pug mill. For those projects that involve contami-
nated materials that successfully respond to treatment over a broad range of pH and chemical dosage
increments, it is acceptable to incorporate a gross approximation of chemical per unit weight or volume of
soil and a simple backhoe or front-end loader will suffice.
In addition to a chemical mixing device, other equipment required for treatment of solid substances with
SME includes a forklift, chemical storage facility or other materials to keep the chemical dry and waste
handling equipment if the post-treated material is to be moved to a final disposal location. In many cases,
the treated material is simply left in-place due to the enhanced stability provided by the SME treatment.
Lagoon Sludge Project
KEECO was requested by a Canadian client to evaluate the ability of the SME Technology to treat
mercury-contaminated lagoon sludge generated from a chlor-alkali facility. The THg content of the sludge
contained an average of 65% mercuric sulfide and 15% elemental mercury. KEECO received a sample of
the lagoon sludge and conducted a laboratory treatability study to determine chemical dosage rates re-
quired for successful treatment and the condition of the post-treated material.
The raw sample material was evaluated to establish baseline data. Sub-samples were then prepared and
treated with incrementally increasing amounts of SME product KB-SEA at additional rates of 3%, 7% and
10% by dry sample weight and subjected to EPA Method 1311 TCLP for initial treatment data. Initial data
suggested that lower dosage rates would achieve the treatment goals. Additional sub-samples were then
treated with KB-SEA at dosage rates of 1%, 2% and a replicate 3% and subjected to TCLP testing. The
original 3% treated sample was also re-tested to evaluate the effectiveness of longer curing time on the
mercury stability. A period of 15 days had elapsed from the initial test to the time of the second TCLP test.
All samples, raw and treated, were evaluated for paste pH and moisture content. The raw sample and
sample treated at the 3% addition rate were also forwarded to an outside, independent laboratory for TCLP
testing for data verification.
The raw sample was subjected to a total metals digest and exhibited mercury levels of 2.25 mg/kg. Under
TCLP testing, the raw sample produced a mercury concentration of 0.295 mg/L in the collected leachate.
The paste pH was 10.2 and contained 37.4% moisture.
After treatment with the SME product KB-SEA, the lagoon sludge demonstrated mercury concentrations in
the TCLP leachate at levels below that of the regulatory action limit of 0.200 mg/L with a dosage rate of > 1 %
KB-SEA by dry weight of sludge. Increasing control was evident at higher dosage rates, with leachate
mercury concentration decreasing in an almost linear fashion as chemical dosage rates were incrementally
increased. In addition, as shown in Table 1, the 3% KB-SEA amended sample was tested again after 15
days of curing and demonstrated greater control of the mercury mobility than the initial test that immediately
followed treatment. A 71% reduction in the mercury concentration of the leachate was achievable after 15
days of curing as compared to the 65% produced after only one day of curing.
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Add Ratio
(% KB-SEA by
dry weight sludge)
0 [Rawl
1
2
31
32
3R
5
7
TCLP Result
Hg (mg/L)
0.295
0.197
0.152
0.104
0.085
0.128
0.083
0.046
Percent Reduction
Hg Concentration
NA
33%
48%
65%
71%
57%
72%
84%
Original 3% amended sample.
2Same sample analyzed 15 days after original chemical amendment.
Overall, the treated sample results demonstrated reduced concentrations of leachable mercury throughout
a broad spectrum of chemical dosage ratios, with increased control evident at higher chemical addition
ratios. In a field setting, this broad range of control allows for flexibility in handling varying concentrations of
mercury that are expected throughout the project treatment process.
An evaluation of overall cost of treatment for this project including labor, SME chemical and equipment
totaled to a not-to-exceed unit cost of $35.00 U.S. per treated ton of sludge. This figure did not include
transportation costs to a final disposal site or analytical testing.
Mother Lode Mine
The Mother Lode Mine, a former mercury mining and processing operation from 1906 to 1972, is located in
Central Oregon on USFS property. During the past 4-5 years, on-going investigations have been conducted
to identify sources of metal contaminated soils on the property with a specific focus on material containing
high concentrations of mercury. These investigations identified approximately 450 cubic yards of soil that
exhibited 500 mg/kg mercury or higher. Upper limits in some samples were as high as 26,000 mg/kg. This
source material was collected and moved to an open pit for treatment in place with the SME product KB-SEA.
If treatment achieved TCLP Hg levels of 0.200 mg/L or less, the material would remain in-place and final site
restoration and capping activities would commence.
KEECO received a sample of the material and conducted a treatability study to identify chemical dosage
rates and optimum range of control. Results of the study demonstrated that optimum treatment was achiev-
able using a dosage rate of 2% KB-SEA by dry weight of the soil and 30% moisture. Modifications were
made to the dosing rates to scale-up to field conditions and to accommodate the predicted changes in
varying mercury concentrations. Treatment was accomplished using a backhoe for chemical incorporation
into the soil and application of fresh water to ensure sufficient wetting to initiate a vigorous chemical reac-
tion. Treatment was completed within a period of two days and involved the treatment of two "lifts" of soil.
Samples of post-treatment soil were collected from each of the two separate lifts immediately after mixing
with the SME product and wetting and shipped to an independent laboratory for total metals and TCLP
testing.
TCLP testing showed that the treated samples exhibited mercury concentrations ranging from 0.0028 to
0.0008 in the leachate, well below the stated treatment goal for mercury of 0.200 mg/L. In addition, the
concentration of THg evident under digest conditions in the treated samples were well below the raw mate-
rial minimum concentration of >500 mg/kg. This suggests that the encapsulation of the mercury within the
silica was not compromised under digest conditions.
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These examples suggest that the SME Technology provides several distinct advantages over traditional
treatment techniques for mercury contaminated waste materials including:
Control of mercury to levels well-below regulatory action limits;
Greater stability of mercury within the treated material as compared to traditional treatment methods;
Enhanced stability over time due to the strengthening of the silica formation;
Cost-competitiveness;
Ability to leave treated material in-place versus off-site disposal.
3.7.6 Potential Economic Benefit from Innovative Mercury Separation
Technology - Jeanette B. Berry, ONL; Juan J. Ferrada, Ph.D., ORNL;
L. R. Dole, Ph.D., ORNL; James W. Van Dyke, ORNL; and John P. Hager,
Ph.D., Colorado School of Mines
Abstract
The U.S. DOE teamed with the National Mining Association to select research projects that could signifi-
cantly benefit the mining industry. This paper describes one such project—By-Product Recovery from Min-
ing Process Residue. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is researching and developing the SepraDyne®
system—a high-vacuum, indirectly heated rotary kiln that operates at temperatures of up to 750°C.
The U.S. mining industry produces over 7,000,000 t/yr of process residue that may contain hazardous
species as well as valuable by-products. Process residues are generated by (a) smelter df-gas cleaning—
5,500,000 t/yr and (b) bag house dust and wastewater treatment-2,100,000 t/yr (USEPA, 1995). New
approaches may be able to recover marketable by-products from this process residue to generate revenue
and reduce disposal costs for the mining industry. For example, a rotary vacuum kiln was invented by a
small U.S. business, SepraDyne®. This technology operates commercially at a copper mine separating
mercury from sulfuric acid plant blowdown sludge, which also contains lead, copper, gold, and silver. Two
materials result: (1) concentrated mercury and (2) process residue with extremely low concentrations of
mercury. The concentrated mercury is either sold or treated and disposed. The "mercury-free" residue can
be either recycled to recover additional copper or sold to recover lead, bismuth, and trace gold and silver
(USEPA, 1991).
The paper summarizes this research and development project: (1) SepraDyne's* process is being devel-
oped and improved by modeling and evaluating process and thermodynamic variables, (2) key factors in the
economics of by-product recovery are the value of acid plant sludge before separating mercury, after sepa-
rating mercury, and the $500/ton treatment cost, and (3) kinetics and thermodynamic experimental results
from investigations of two mixtures—mercury, sulfur and oxygen, and mercury and selenium—confirm that
the presence of oxygen affects separation of mercury compounds and the recovery of elemental mercury.
Introduction
The DOE Office of Industrial Technologies, Mining Industry of the Future Program, is working with the min-
ing industry to help promote the industry's advances toward environmental and economic goals. Two of
these goals are (1) responsible emission and by-product management and (2) low-cost and efficient produc-
tion (DOE, 1998). ORNL is working with the mining industry and the separation-process industry to develop
a process that achieves these goals by separating mercury from process residue allowing valuable lead and
metals to be economically recovered. The results of this project will contribute to sustainable production in
the mining industry.
By-product recovery provides an opportunity for the mining industry to make environmentally-sound pro-
cess improvements while generating revenue for the industry. SepraDyne®, a small U.S. business, has
patented a technological breakthrough that uses an improved separation process to recover metals from
mining process residue. The technology provides a processing environment for separating metals (prima-
rily mercury) and destroying organic chemicals (e.g., dioxins, furans) that contaminate valuable products,
such as copper and lead and traces of gold and silver.
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To realize the potential of this technology, DOE and SepraDyne® co-funded work at ORNL, in collaboration
with the Colorado School of Mines. This paper summarizes this research and development project including
(1) process descriptions of mercury separation from acid plant sludge including baseline and vacuum rotary
kiln mercury separation techniques, (2) process modeling of the SepraDyne® operations, (3) factors that
influence the economics of by-product recovery, and (4) results of process chemistry kinetic and thermody-
namic experiments on two mixtures—mercury, sulfur and oxygen, and mercury and selenium.
Process Descriptions of Mercury Separation from Acid Plant Sludge
Baseline Mercury Separation Technique
ORNL searched the literature, and interviewed mine and SepraDyne® personnel to determine the composi-
tion of the acid plant sludge and assess mercury separation techniques. This information indicates that acid
plant sludge contains lead, copper, and bismuth, as well as trace quantities of gold, silver, and mercury
sulfide (USEPA, 1991; Jeanette B. Berry and H. Patton, 2000).The mine used a traditional baking method
to reduce the concentration of mercury to acceptable disposal levels for Resource Conservation and Recov-
ery Act-regulated waste. The acid plant sludge was loaded into "baking trays" that were exposed to direct
heat. Since the material was not mixed as it was heated, heating was not uniform. Consequently, the
effectiveness of mercury removal varied. Since the process residue contained relatively high concentra-
tions of mercury, the valuable lead and copper were not cost-effectively recovered (Berry and Talburt, 1999).
Rotary Vacuum Kiln Mercury Separation Technique
ORNL analyzed the SepraDyne® technology by visiting the operating site and evaluating the process. Initial
evaluation indicates that this process has advanced by-product recovery by more effectively separating
mercury on site with compact processing equipment. Mercury is removed to <10 ppm so that valuable
metals, such as lead, can be economically recovered from acid plant sludge—the mine can market the lead
bearing process residue to a lead smelter.
The heart of the SepraDyne® process is an indirectly heated rotary kiln that operates at a high vacuum and
high temperature. These conditions produce an environment that volatilizes liquid and low- to moderate
boiling-point metals such as mercury, arsenic, selenium, and cadmium. The process has also been shown
to destroy organic compounds. Since air is eliminated from the kiln, combustion does not occur; and off-gas
treatment equipment is minimized. The vacuum system has the following advantages over traditional ther-
mal processes:
Reduced oxidation of mercury and formation of mercury compounds because of the reduced oxy-
gen in the processing environment.
Reduced formation of organic products of incomplete combustion because of the reduced oxygen
in the processing environment.
Reduced capital and maintenance costs because complex off-gas treatment systems are not needed.
Reduced particulate formation and dust.
The operating parameters and processing sequence of the rotary vacuum retort (illustrated in Figure 1) are
as follows. Solid or semi-solid process residue is fed into the retort through a feeding system (a hopper/
auger assembly). Once the unit is loaded, a vacuum is established and the retort is set into rotation. Heat
is indirectly applied within an insulated firebox through burners fueled by natural gas, diesel oil, or propane.
As an alternative, electric heating can be employed in sensitive environmental settings, or on sites with low-
cost electric power. Residue is initially heated to remove the moisture. The water vapor and other low-
boiling-point gaseous compounds are normally condensed in the off-gas treatment train, passing initially
through an impinger system. If very-low-boiling-point organic chemicals are present, cryogenic cooling can
be employed to condense these chemicals.
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Figure! Vacuum Rotary Kiln Mercury Separation
Process.
Once the material is dried, the retort temperature is raised to a target value, up to 600°C to 750°C, under a
vacuum of greater than 0.7 atm (20 inches of Hg), and held at the target temperature for a set time. Organic
compounds, including heavy tars and compounds of mercury volatilize under these conditions. Non-volatile
chemicals and residual metals are separated from the condensed liquid, and the liquid is discharged to on-
site wastewater treatment systems or the sanitary sewer. Waste heat from the process is exhausted to the
atmosphere. Any trace hazardous vapors that have passed through the off-gas system are removed in the
carbon absorption section. Mercury is recovered from the solids collected in the settling tank using a
hydrocyclone. The material within the retort is maintained at the target temperature until system monitoring
indicates that all of the contaminants of concern have been removed. After processing, the burners are
turned off and the vacuum is released. The processed material is then conveyed via a screw feeder into a
receiving vessel fitted with particulate air control equipment. Materials containing by-products are collected
in separate containers for shipment. The mine sells the material to an off-site smelter for recovery of lead
and trace quantities of gold and silver. Alternately, if the concentration of copper is high enough (e.g., >7 %),
the mine returns the material to the onsite smelter for additional processing (Berry and Talburt, 1999).
Process Modeling
ORNL researchers modeled the SepraDyne®system using process modeling software, FLOW™, to analyze
the effect of changing process equipment (e.g., improved materials of construction) and operating param-
eters (e.g., feed stream composition) (see Figure 1). FLOW™ is a modular computer simulation program
that models and analyzes emerging chemical and physical processes. Process analysis starts with a simple
material balance, using available data. Process developers use an icon-based, user-friendly interface to
model material balances around each unit operation. These unit-operation material balances are then
combined to calculate a material balance around the entire process. Analysis can be extended to evaluate
process effectiveness, efficiency, and operability. ORNL modeled and evaluated the SepraDyne® system
resulting in a basic understanding of process variables and their influence on the effectiveness of mercury
separation. Continued process analysis is planned to better understand unit-operation alternatives, effi-
ciency, operability, cost, risk and uncertainty.
ORNL and the Colorado School of Mines used thermodynamic models to predict compounds likely to result
from critical processing steps. Feed stream data were provided by SepraDyne®. Version 4.1 HSC Chemis-
try for Windows Chemical Reaction and Equilibrium Software (by Outokumpu) was revised to reflect experi-
mental results obtained by the participating researchers at the Colorado School of Mines (Fredrickson and
Hager, 1996). Equilibrium species were estimated by minimizing the collective Gibbs free energies for
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temperatures between 30° and 600°C (86° to 1112°F). ORNL developed a procedure to simulate a reaction
path under vacuum by removing all of the gaseous species after each time-temperature-equilibrium step.
This procedure recalculates the equilibrium composition of each subsequent reaction step using only the
residual solids from the previous step. Along with an allowance for paniculate carry-over, the collective
gaseous species from all of the reaction steps were modeled to simulate the composition of the sludge that
condenses from the off-gas.
Analysis of experimental data and model results led to a better understanding of the importance of oxygen
in the oxidation rates of the metals present in the process feed and the importance of air in-leakage in the
volatilization and separation of elemental mercury.
Process Chemistry Experimental Results
Since acid plant sludge contains high concentrations of sulfur and selenium, it is important to understand
interactions between these elements and mercury in the presence of oxygen to better control the process
and optimize the removal of mercury. The Colorado School of Mines conducted experiments on the chem-
istry of the Hg-S-O and Hg-Se systems specific to removal of mercury from acid plant sludge. Experiments
to date have shown that operating conditions can dramatically influence process effectiveness (Hager, et al.
2000).
The results show that there are significant differences in the temperatures required to achieve rapid rates of
volatilization. The most difficult compounds to volatilize are HgSO4, Hg2SO4, and HgSO4*2HgO. These
three compounds all have volatilization temperatures in excess of 600°C for 100% volatilization in 60 min-
utes. The next most difficult compounds to volatilize are HgO and HgSe with minimum temperatures of 557°
and 451 °C, respectively. The least difficult compound to volatilize is HgS with a required temperature of
382°C. This highlights the importance of having accurate information on the speciation of the mercury in the
acid plant sludge to correctly design operating temperatures for the retort. These results provide data
necessary to calculate the required process temperatures over differing process periods. Also, the results
obtained for HgS, for the two different reactor pressures, suggest that an increase in the reactor pressure
from 0.07 to 0.13 atm (2.0 - 3.9 inches of Hg) could result in an increase in the required operating tempera-
ture of 40°C or more. In the case of mercury sulfates being the predominant species, it is possible that a
required process temperature in excess of 700°C could be required for 100% volatilization with short resi-
dence time (e.g., 60 minutes).
Back-reactions of the mercury vapor, as it is transported from the experimental reactor to the condenser,
were observed to be very rapid. This is a significant factor in considering the use of a vacuum retort/
condenser system to recover elemental mercury from smelter acid plant sludges. It is clear from the model-
ing studies that primarily mercury vapor is generated during the volatilization of the compounds investigated
in this study. The extent to which mercury is transported as HgS(g), HgO(g), or HgSe(g) is insignificant.
Mercury collected on the experimental condenser (i.e., a water-cooled cold finger) was generally in com-
pound form, rather than as elemental mercury—confirmation under controlled, experimental conditions that
recovery of a liquid mercury product is difficult from such a complex mixture. Excess oxygen in the system
would increase the production of SO2, increase the concentration of SO2 in the off-gas stream to the con-
denser, and further increase the rate of the back-reaction of the gaseous mercury. Key factors for the
successful separation of elemental mercury include (1) limited presence of oxygen and (2) the rate of con-
densation and quenching of the mercury vapor to prevent back-reaction to non-elemental forms (e.g., HgSO2,
HgSe).
Economics of By-product Recovery
Acid plant sludge contains lead and copper, as well as trace quantities of mercury sulfide. It is difficult to
recover the economic value of this acid plant sludge because it is contaminated with mercury. When the
concentration of lead and copper exceeds a certain value, brokers may purchase this contaminated process
residue and aggressively treat it to recover the value of the remaining metals (e.g., lead). If the value of the
acid plant sludge is more than the cost of mercury removal, by-product recovery generates net revenue for
acid plant operations.
ORNL reviewed the economics of this process as background for collecting relevant data from the mining
industry. To gain an understanding of the process economics, information is needed at various mercury
160
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concentrations. Interviews with mining companies indicate that the concentration of mercury influences the
value of the process residue, because the ability for down-stream processes to recover valuable by-prod-
ucts is significantly influenced by mercury concentration.
Economic values of each process residue are used to determine the cost-effectiveness of separating mer-
cury—two processing stages and various final concentrations of mercury. The required information in-
cludes (1) value of a process residue before separating mercury (may be a negative value equal to the cost
of disposal), (2) value of a process residue after separating mercury, and (3) value of a residue that cannot
be sold (may be negative because of its disposal cost). The value of a process residue varies with mercury
concentrations—for instance, data at <100 ppm, <50 ppm, and <10 ppm mercury would provide a basis for
this economic analysis.
To evaluate the value of improved mercury separation techniques, the baseline processing cost of mercury
separation should also be considered. For example, baking acid plant sludge in open trays may result in a
relatively high final concentration of mercury, but may also be relatively inexpensive. While aggressive
chemical extraction may result in low mercury concentrations, this process may be relatively expensive.
Using this information, the economic analysis can ascertain the following variables: (1) processing cost
saved, (2) the value of separating mercury, and (3) the final concentration of mercury that results in the
highest net benefit for the mining industry.
This logic can be applied to other process residues to determine whether separating mercury would be cost
effective. For example, smelter operations managers could use this analysis to determine whether their
operation could generate revenue by receiving residue which is mercury-contaminated, and separating the
mercury prior to smelting the metal-bearing process residue. A summary of the on-going economic analysis
is shown in Table 1.
Table L Mercuri,r Separation EcoRoniic Variables
A
Value of process residue before separating
mercury
Concentration of mercury
need data - may be negative
<10Qpp,m,
<50ppn>
-------
A preliminary assessment of available data indicates that if marketable by-products could be recovered from
30% of the U.S. mining industry's annual 7 million tons of process residue, because mercury was removed,
the industry could generate $400 million in revenue from the recovered metals each year and could avoid
disposal costs. This potential for economic gain motivates further study of more cost-effective separation of
mercury to allow by-product recovery from mining process residues (Ferrada, et al., 1999).
Conclusions
The SepraDyne® process, which uses an indirectly heated rotary kiln that operates at a high vacuum and
high temperature, shows promise as a mining by-product recovery system. The system is being operated
commercially at a mining complex to separate mercury from acid plant sludge solids. DOE and the National
Mining Association selected this process for a research and development project for the purpose of benefit-
ting the mining industry.
ORNL and Colorado School of Mines are collaborating to develop this rotary vacuum kiln process by evalu-
ating the process using engineering and economic assessments, by developing process and chemistry
models, and conducting experiments on the fundamentals of the complex chemistry of acid plant sludge.
Both process modeling and experimental results indicate that oxidation of mercury controls separation of
elemental mercury from this acid plant sludge, especially in the presence of selenium and sulfur. Separation
of mercury under vacuum increases the amount of elemental mercury recovered. This developmental work
also indicates that back-reaction of mercury with excess oxygen is very rapid—control of conditions under
which mercury condenses influences the amount of elemental mercury recovered.
Data indicate that the SepraDyne® process is an effective process for separating mercury from acid plant
sludge. The remaining sludge, which contains lead, and other valuable metals, is sold to a lead smelter for
by-product recovery—the research team is verifying the economics of this by-product recovery operation.
References
Berry, Jeanette B. and H. W. Patton, Personal communication between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
and Patton Engineering and Consulting, Inc., 2000.
Berry, Jeanette B., and J. Talburt, Personal communication between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and
SepraDyne®, 1999.
Ferrada, Juan J., Jeanette B. Berry, and Leslie R. Dole, "Sustainable By-product Recovery in the Mining
Industry," published in the Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Clean Technology
for the Mining Industry, Santiago, Chile, 2000.
Fredrickson, G. L. and Hager, John P. "New Thermodynamic Data on the H-O-S System: With Application
to the Thermal Processing of Mercury Containing Wastes," published in the Proceedings of the
Second International Symposium on Extraction and Processing for the Treatment and Minimization
of Wastes, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, 1996.
Hager, John P., Antonio E. Blandon, and Jeanette B. Berry, "Vaporization of Mercury under Vacuum Retort
Conditions," EPD Congress 2001, P. R. Taylor, Ed., The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society,
Warrendale, PA, 2001.
U.S. DOE, "An Assessment of Energy Requirements in Proven and New Copper Processes," DOE/CS/
40132, The University of Utah, 1980.
U.S. DOE, Office of Industrial Technologies, "The Future Begins With Mining, A Vision of the Mining Industry
of the Future," 1998.
USEPA, "Identification and Description of Mineral Processing Sectors and Waste Streams." RCRA Docket
No. F-96-PH4A-S0001, Washington, D.C., 1995.
162
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USEPA, "Revised Draft Wastes From Primary Copper Processing Characterization Report . . ." Office of
Solid Waste, 1991.
USEPA, "Technical Resource Document, Extraction and Beneficiation of Ores and Minerals," Vol. 4. EPA
530-R-94-031, NTIS PB94-200979, Washington, D.C., 1994.
3.7.7 Removal of Mercury from Contaminated Water Using Alkali Ash Permeable
Reactive Barrier (AFA-PRB) Material - Shahriar Jahanian, Temple
University; Mozhgan Bahadory, Temple University; Hossein Rostami,
Philadelphia University; and William Brendly, Philadelphia University
Over the past 15 years, about one half million sites with potential contamination have been reported to
Federal or state authorities. Of these, about 217,000 sites still need remediation. The most common type of
contaminants are metals, solvents and petroleum products. Heavy metals are present in two thirds of
Department of Defense (DOD) and Superfund sites and about 50% of DOE and Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites.
Alkali Fly Ash Permeable Reactive Barrier (AFA-PRB) is a newly developed material made with fly ash alkali
activating solution and filler material (sand and coarse aggregates). AFA-PRB materials were used to
remove mercury from contaminated water. AFA-PRB materials with high permeability of 1O"2 centimeter per
second (cm/sec) to 10~1 cm/sec were created. The reactive barrier material permeability must be in the
range of 10"2 cm/sec to 10~1 cm/sec. AFA-PRB, from three ash sources with permeability of 10~1 cm/sec were
produced and crushed into pelletized form. Effectiveness of the various barriers was determined by batch
and column tests. Laboratory experiment indicates mercury ion reduces from 10OOppm to less than 3 ppm
with 7 liters of solution and mercury ion from 10ppm to less than 2pprn. Analysis was performed by Atomic
Absorption techniques.
Introduction
The EPA is interested in new technologies which can economically and effectively remove heavy metals
from groundwater or wastewater. The primary heavy metals of concern are arsenic, cadmium, chromium,
and mercury (1). These toxic materials may enter the environment from a variety of sources including
abandoned dumping sites, wastes from metal plating and metal smelting, by-products from refining opera-
tions, and mercury from the improper disposal of fluorescent bulbs. These materials present a danger to
both population and the environment. Groundwater pollution is perhaps the most dangerous because of the
difficulty in treatment and the large percentage of the population which relies on groundwater for consump-
tion. In this work, a novel method of removing mercury and stabilizing the heavy-metal-bearing residue is
presented. The presence of heavy metals in the groundwater poses a health risk to humans.
There is a clear need for effective yet economical methods of remediation of groundwater to reduce adverse
health impacts, and reduce the costs of remediation. The two common methods of dealing with under-
ground water contamination are pump and treat and containment — both methods have shortcomings.
The pump and treat treatment method requires removal of contaminated groundwater to the surface, treat-
ment, and return to aquifer. This method is effective but it is expensive, labor intensive, and requires the
treatment of large amounts of water. Also, institutional barriers including surface water and groundwater
discharge permits and groundwater rights must be considered. Recently, using permeable reactive barriers
to treat contaminated water in situ has gained wide acceptance. A permeable reactive barrier may be
defined as:
Subsurface emplacement of reactive material to intercept a contaminant plume, provide a preferential flow
path through the reactive media, and transform the contaminants into environmentally acceptable forms.
Background on Coal Combustion Fly Ash
In 1996, the United States consumed 850 million tons of coal for electric generation. From this operation,
about 90 million tons of coal ash was produced. Out of this 90 million tons, 55 million tons are fly ash, 20
million tons are flue gas desulfurization (FGD), 12 million tons are bottom ash and the rest are boiler slag (2).
163
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Fly ash is by far the largest by-product produced. Only 27% of this huge quantity of fly ash (15 million tons)
is reused or recycled; the remaining 73% is landfilled (2). The leading fly ash applications are:
Applications
Concrete
Structural Fill
Waste Stabilization
Mining Applications
Road Base
Other
%Used
50
14
12
5
3
16
ASTM C-618 classifies the fly ash into two groups, class F (low CaO), and class C (high CaO). The current
work focuses on the utilization of class F fly ash. Ranges of composition of class F fly ash are shown below:
Oxides
Sio2
Al2o3
Fe2o3
Q)Q
MgQ
.Alkali
SO3
LO(^)
% Content
45-65
20-45
3-12
3-10
1-3
<1,5
1-5
0.1-6
The conventional approach of using fly ash has been as a filler in concrete. The addition of fly ash to
concrete mixture has been practiced for decades. However, the level of utilization of fly ash without affecting
its properties is limited. Recently, conversion of fly ash to zeolites has been reported by many researchers
(3-6). Zeolites possess uniform molecular pore and large surface areas, making it an ideal material for
molecular sieves.
Background on In-situ Permeable Reactive Barrier
Permeable Reactive Barrier or treatment walls are a relatively new method of groundwater remediation.
The concept was first forwarded in 1989 at the University of Waterloo in Canada. The investigators con-
ducted bench scale investigations using zero valent iron to break down chlorinated hydrocarbons. The first
in situ demonstration was conducted in Borden, Ontario, Canada. In 1992, the permeable reactive barrier
technology, "funnel and gate system" was first presented in scientific literature. In 1994, the first commercial
application of permeable reactive barrier technology was installed in Sunnyvale, CA. This installation is still
operating and has proven itself in terms of cost and effectiveness compared to pump and treat remediation.
(Summary of RTDF, Sept. 18-19, 1997.) The prospects for Permeable Reactive Barrier as a cost effective
alternative to pump and treat remediation are excellent. A considerable amount of effort is underway to
investigate new cost effective materials which can be used to create new types of permeable reactive
barriers with new functionalities. A promising new material called AAM barrier material has demonstrated
the ability to remove heavy metals such as Cr from highly contaminated water.
AAM material can have permeability ranging from 10'2 cm/sec up to 10~1 cm/sec; AAM contaminated barrier
materials utilize high permeability of 1Q-1 cm/sec. There exists a large body of literature on the various
mechanisms of heavy metal removal and material used for permeable barrier technology (7-16). Materials
range from clay minerals to synthetic zeolite from fly ash to zero valent iron and metal oxides.
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Mechanisms for Heavy Metal Removal
The mechanisms of removal include physical and chemical reactions. They can be divided into two broad
categories depending upon their reversibility for recovery applications (17):
1. Removal only: separation/filtration, chemical precipitation, solidification/stabilization, and chemical
redox reaction.
2. Recovery and Reuse: adsorption, ion exchange, membranes, and electrolytic recovery.
Results on Heavy Metal Removal Ability of AAM
AAM barrier material was used to remove Cr from contaminated water. Fly ash from three different sources
was used to produce reactive barriers of different permeability. AAM materials with permeability 10~2 to 10~1
were created. Only the highest permeability proved to be suitable for reactive barrier material. AAM barrier
from three ash sources with a permeability of 10'1 was produced and crushed into pelletized form. To
determine effectiveness of the various barriers, a batch test was performed. Based on that result, the
column test was conducted. Three different types of class F fly ash were used in construction of AAM barrier
material. Selected fly ashes for this experiment represent a wide range of ash generated by the coal burning
operation. XRF was used to obtain the composition of fly ashes (provided by ash supplier). These fly ashes
have the following compositions:
Sio2
A12O3
Fe2Q3
CaO
MgO
Alkali
S03
LOI
Source I
61 1
2~5
45
1 -
09
09
03
-> -
Source II
632
194
54
43
1 3
1 1
14
2 1
Source
III
538
234
60
89
19
10
09
06
In this work, 10 g of barrier materials were added to 500 g of 1000 ppm solution of mercury. The removal
ability of AAM from source 1 was less than source 2 and 3, while AAM from source 2 and source 3 had
similar removal efficiency. AAM from source 2 had more work time during processing, thus AAM from source
2 was selected for column test. The table below shows the results of batch test of AAM for Hg removal
ability:
MM Barrier
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
IGOOppmCr
142
0,7
0.9
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Column Test
The AAM reactive barrier constructed from fly ash obtained from source 2 was used in the column test. In
this work, 7.5 liters of 1000 ppm Hg with increment of 0.5 liter were passed through 200 gm of barrier
materials. Our results indicate that AAM is capable of removing mercury from 1000 ppm contaminated
water.
From the result obtained in column test, AAM has the ability to remove Hg very effectively. AAM contami-
nant barriers are very economical. The cost of materials will be similar to the cost of a Portland cement
system. The basic materials to create AAM are fly ash, sodium silicate, and sodium hydroxide. These
materials are available all over the U.S. in bulk volume for commodity prices. The manufacturing cost will be
similar to that of precast concrete products for manufactured material and ready mix concrete for ambient
temperature applications. The cost of zeolites will be similar to the cost of currently available ion exchange
materials. This represents the most significant cost. If AAM is viable as a contaminant barrier without the
addition of ion exchange material, this will be the most economical option. Typical costs of materials for
AAM compositions without stone are $40 to $50 per ton. The manufacturing operation for elevated tem-
perature curing should increase this price to about $100 per ton.
Conclusion
Investigation of AAM in the past 3 years has demonstrated that fly ash can be transformed into an effective
sorbent for heavy metals. AAM has the ability to remove heavy metals such as Hg from contaminated
solution. 1000 ppm of mercury solution were reduced to about 0.7 ppm after passing through the optimized
Controlled Permeability of AAM contamination barrier. Further work is needed on placing the material into a
logistically sound product. The process has been successful with class F fly ash from many sources.
Acknowledgments
Part of this work was supported by a grant from NSF under Grant number NSF BES 0091655. Authors of
this paper greatly appreciate funding of NSF.
References
1. USEPA, Cleaning Up the Nations Waste Sites: Markets and Technology Trends, Washington D.C.,
1997.
2. Tyson, S., and Blackstock, T (1995), "Overview of Coal Ash in Construction and Related
Applications," Proceedings of Industrial Waste Conference, Washington D.C., Vol. 49, p. 635.
3. Chang, H. L, Shih, W.H., "A General Method for the Conversion of Fly Ash into Zeolite as Ion
Exchangers for Cesium," Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 37, No. 1, p 71-78
(1998).
4. Chang, H.L., Shih, W.H., "Synthesis of Low Si/AI Ratios of Zeolites from Fly Ashes and Their Ion
Exchange Behavior with Cobalt Iron." Accepted for publication in Chemistry Research.
5. Lin, C.F., Hsi, H.C., "Resource Recovery of Waste Fly Ash: Synthesis of Zeolite-like Materials,"
Environmental Science & Technology, 1995, Vol. 29, No. 4, 1109-1117.
6. Amrhein, C., Haghnia, G.H., Kim, T.S., Mosher, P.A., Gagajena, R. C., "Synthesis and Properties of
Zeolite from Coal Fly Ash," Environmental Science & Technology, 1996., Vol. 30, No. 3, p735-742.
7. Singer, A., Bakgaut, V, "Cation Exchange Properties of Hydrothermally Treated Coal Fly Ash,"
Environmental Science & Technology, 1995, Vol. 29, No. 7, 1748-1753.
8. Bostick, W.D., Jarabeck, R.J., Solver, W.W. "Zero Valent Iron and Metal in Contaminated Ground
Water at a DOE Site," KTSO p35, Lockheed Martin Energy System, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN. 1996.
166
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9. Bostick, W.D., Jarabeck, R.J., Fiedor, J.N. "Zero-Valent Iron for the Removal of Soluble Uranium in
Simulated DOE Site Ground Water," International Containment Technology Conference, Feb. 9-12,
1997, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.
10. Bostick, D. T., Arnold, W.D., Taylor, P.A. "Evaluation Improved Techniques for Removal of Sr and Cs
from Process Waste Water: Chabazite Zeolite Baseline Study," ORNL/TM-12903, 1994.
11. Adeleye, S.A., Rautiu, R., White, D.A. "Clay Minerals as Sorbents for Nuclear Reactor Activiation
Products," Journal of Material Sciences Vol 30. (1995), 583-586.
12. Morrison, S.J., and Spangler, R.R., "Extraction of Uranium and Molybdium from Aqueous Solution:
A survey of industrial materials for use in chemical barriers for uranium mill tailings remediation,"
Environmental Science & Technology, 1992., Vol. 26, No. 10, 1922-1931.
13. Morrison, S.J., and Spangler, R.R., "Chemical Barriers for Controlling Ground Water
Contamination," Environmental Progress, Vol. 12, No. 3, 175-181.
14. Fryar, A.E., and Schwartz, F.W., "Modeling the Removal of Metals from Ground Water by a
Reactive Barrier: Experimental Results," Water Resources Research, Vol. 30, No. 12, pp3455-3469,
Sept. 1994.
15. Gao, Y.M., Sengupta, A.K., Simpson, D., "A New Hybrid Inorganic Sorbent for Heavy Metals
Removal." Water Resource. Vol. 29., No 9 pp 2195-2205, 1995.
16. Periasamy, K., and Namasivayam, C., "Process Development for Removal and Recovery of
Cadmium from Waste Water by a Low Cost Adsorbent: Adsorption Rates and Equilibrium Studies,"
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 33, No. 2, pp317-320 (1994).
17. Freeman, H.M., Standard Handbook of Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (Second
Edition), McGraw-Hill, 1998.
3.7.8 Remediation and Legal Case Histories of the Buena Vista and Klau
Mines, Two Mercury Mines in the Las Tablas Creek Watershed, San Luis
Obispo County - Gerhardt Hubner, Central Coast Regional Water Quality
Control Board and Daniel Suter, USEPA, Region 9
Buena Vista Mines Inc. (BVMI) owns two inactive mercury mines (Buena Vista and Klau Mines) in the Las
Tablas Creek watershed of San Luis Obispo County, California. Both of these mines have been polluting
surface waters (Las Tablas Creek, Klau Branch, and Lake Nacimiento) for decades. The Central Coast
Regional Water Quality Board (Regional Board) has attempted through various enforcement mechanisms
to get the mine owner and BVMI to abate and remediate on-going pollution emanating from these mines.
Currently BVMI holds National Pollution Elimination Discharge System (NPDES) permits adopted by this
Regional Board in 1993. Lawsuits have been filed in both State and Federal Courts in an attempt to get
compliance with environmental laws. In 1997, the mine owner and BVMI pleaded guilty to Clean Water Act
violations. In 1999, the USEPA issued an Unilateral Administrative Order to BVMI and its owners (Harold
and Ed Biaggini) requesting that they conduct certain remedial work to abate the pollution and contamina-
tion from the mines. This year USEPA assumed control of both mines sites, and is in the process of complet-
ing the remaining remedial action items contained in the Order.
Background
Location
The Buena Vista and Klau Mines are located 12 miles west of Paso Robles in the Adelaida district of San
Luis Obispo County. The mines are on adjacent patented properties on the eastern slope of the Santa Lucia
range. The mines are also part of the Las Tablas Creek watershed, which drains to Lake Nacimiento.
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Site Characteristics
The Buena Vista and Klau Mines consist of two abandoned mine sites which encompass approximately 175
acres and include five miles of underground workings, a two acre mine pit and eroded slopes comprised of
approximately 300,000 tons of mines tailings, overburden and waste rock. At the Buena Vista Mine, ap-
proximately 100,000 cubic yards of mine tailings (commonly called the retort pile) was consolidated in a
main drainage valley. This pile historically generated five to ten gallons per minute of acid mine drainage.
Additional acid mine drainage is being generated in underground workings and expressed as surfacing acid
mine drainage springs.
History
The Buena Vista Mine was first worked in 1876; the Klau Mine in 1874. The cinnabar that was produced at
the mines occurred in high grade veins, pockets and disseminations. By 1903, the Klau Mine was the fourth
largest producer of mercury in the State of California. During the operation of the Buena Vista, the mine
reportedly produced 30 tons of rock/ore a day, at 5-30 Ibs. of mercury per ton. By 1970, the total amount of
mercury removed was estimated at 84,300 flasks, or 6.4 million Ibs. of elemental mercury. In addition, the
mine yielded $25 million in gross profits (by 1970) according to a local newspaper.
1993 Clean Lakes Report
A Federally funded study, conducted by a team of researchers at California Polytechnic State University at
San Luis Obispo, concluded that Las Tablas Creek contributed 78% of the water borne mercury entering
Lake Nacimiento. The Buena Vista Mine directly discharges contaminates to Las Tablas Creek; the Klau
Mine discharges contaminates to a tributary of Las Tablas (Klau Branch). Background concentrations of
mercury in sediment from Las Tablas Creek were reported at 2 mg/kg. Twenty feet or less from the Buena
Vista Mine data indicated 72 mg/kg in sediment. The 1993 Clean Lakes Report estimated that 21 Ibs. of
mercury enter the lake each year.
Data from the Clean Lakes Report and fish tissue analyses conducted under the Toxic Substances Monitor-
ing Program resulted in the California Department of Health Services issuing public health warnings for
Lake Nacimiento for the consumption of fish. These postings continue to this day.
Environmental Impacts from the Mines
Water quality impacts from the mines are due to: 1) acid mine drainage caused by water and oxygen react-
ing with prevalent pyrite and marcasite prevalent in rock on-site; and 2) mercury rich waste rock mitigating
off-site to surface waters.
During mining operations, mining waste including waste rock, tailings and mercury extraction wastes were
dumped in drainage channels and various other places throughout the mine sites. Weathering and erosion
from seasonal rains have caused erosion of these piles, resulting in waste rock being transported off-site to
nearby surface waters.
Mercury is a toxic metal to both humans and aquatic life. Organic mercury species are more toxic and more
soluble than the inorganic species. Much of the mercury at the site begins as inorganic mercury sulfide -
cinnabar (although some free elemental mercury is still present at the sites). From there it is transported off-
site to surface waters where it accumulates in bottom sediments. The sediment is further transported
downstream or migrates up the food chain through bottom feeders. Through the process of methylation,
mercury transforms to an organic species, becomes more toxic, and bioaccumulates in animals higher in
the food chain.
Analytical data from Regional Board files reveal the following:
Total mercury concentrations in sediment eroding from the Klau Mine to the Klau Branch ranged
from 5.5 ppm to 16,500 ppm, with a mean of 2259 ppm.
Samples taken from the retort pile at the Buena Vista were reported up to 940 ppm.
Dissolved mercury concentrations in Las Tablas Creek directly below the Buena Vista Mine ranged
as high as 0.046 mg/L.
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Water samples collected significantly exceed the EPA ambient water quality criteria for mercury of
0.000012 mg/L
For comparison purposes mercury concentrations in soil above 20 ppm are considered Hazardous
Waste (per Title 22 California Code of Regulations).
Regional Board Involvement
The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Board has issued several waste discharge requirements and
enforcement orders to the mine owner and BVMI going back to the 1960s. Currently, the mine owner holds
a NPDES permit for both mine sites. The permit regulates the discharge(s) of pollutants from the mines.
Specifically, the permit establishes effluent limitations for the discharge from the acid mine drainage treat-
ment plant. The mine owner is not currently in compliance with those permits. Previous monitoring reports
indicated that treated acid mine drainage from the treatment plant did not meet effluent limitations contained
within the permit. No monitoring reports have been submitted since the summer of 1999.
Legal Proceedings
Several State and Federal criminal and civil cases have being filed over the last decade.
State Civil Case
On December 21, 1998, the San Luis Obispo Superior Court, upon the Board's request, dismissed the
Board's State civil suit against BVMI, et al., without prejudice. This request was based on the Board's
decision to transfer lead enforcement responsibility to the USEPA and the U.S. Department of Justice.
State Criminal Case
Dismissed Spring 2000. The judge in the case felt that the Federal criminal sentencing in December of 1999
provided sufficient justice, although this case involved separate violations of the Clean Water Act.
Federal Criminal Case
On December 7, 1999, in Federal District Court in downtown Los Angeles, Judge Keller convened a sen-
tencing hearing for Harold Biaggini and his Buena Vista Mine Inc. Mr. Biaggini had previously pled guilty to
one violation of the Clean Water Act. His Corporation, BVMI had also pled guilty to one felony violation of
the Clean Water Act.
To Mr. Biaggini:
Six months house arrest
- Another year of supervised probation
- $30,000 fine
To the BVMI Corporation:
- $300,000 restitution, to be placed in an escrow account to fund future remediation activities
To both Mr. Biaggini and the BVMI Corporation:
- Compliance with Federal and State Laws, including the Clean Water Act at both Buena
Vista and Klau Mines
Obey all USEPA and California State Environmental Authorities
Federal Civil Case
On June 8, 2000, Federal Court Judge Keller issued an Order staying the federal civil action for six months.
The U.S. Attorney's office requested the stay to allow the USEPA removal action to proceed, and determine
what sort of action would be appropriate after the remedial work is completed. A reassessment would then
be conducted. The next status conference on this matter is scheduled for December 6, 2000.
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Recent Legal Posting
Mr. Harold Biaggini and his attorney recently posted disclaimers at the entrance to the mine sites. The
disclaimer states that they are not a party to this year's USEPA removal action, and they are not responsible
for impacts as a result of this work.
USEPA Role
A USEPA Action Memorandum was signed July 8, 1999, authorizing Federal funding for an Emergency
Response Time Critical Removal Action at the Buena Vista and the Klau Mines. On July 12,1999, a USEPA
Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) was issued to BVMI, Harold J. Biaggini and Edward C. Biaggini noti-
fying that USEPA would proceed with actions outlined in the Action Memo and UAO if the respondents were
unwilling to perform those actions. That UAO Order, under 106 CERCLA/Superfund authority, required
certain remedial actions based upon a determination of an imminent and substantial endangerment to the
public or welfare, or the environment. The mine owner did complete several of the action items required
under the UAO. This included the installation of three sedimentation basins at the Buena Vista Mine and
one at the Klau Mine, minor repair of retort cover, and installation of several erosion control measures at
both mine sites.
In Spring of 2000, USEPA Emergency Response group did step in and take over the work to complete the
remaining remedial actions after the mine owner refused to conduct or pay for any further remedial work as
required. Under current status, below is a detailed accounting on the progress being made to complete the
above listed actions.
The remaining work in the UAO includes the following:
Preparation of a mine waste repository near the Open Pits area at the Buena Vista Mine. A leachate
collection system, terrace and sloped banks, drainage system and cover system would also be
constructed.
Excavation and transportation of approximately 100,000 cubic yards of acid generating waste rock
to the repository.
Drain the existing lake at the Klau Mine. The existing dam would be breached and natural drainage
would be created downslope.
Regrade and fill in the area above the underground workings and old adits/mine entrances to
prevent recharge of the underground working, and thus reduce future acid mine drainage
generation.
Preparation and construction of a mine waste repository at Klau Mine. Installation of a liner system,
and collection system to receive mine tailings/waste from areas at the Klau Mine.
Grade, recontour, and divert stormwater from existing slopes at both mine sites.
Design and build a state of the art acid mine drainage treatment plant at the Buena Vista Mine.
The estimated cost to complete these actions at both the Buena Vista and Klau Mines is estimated to be
approximately $2 million. USEPA has indicated that it will seek reimbursement from BVMI and Mr. Biaggini
for past and present cost incurred as a result of this project.
A CERCLA or Superfund Section 104(e) Request for Information Letter was sent to Mr. Harold Biaggini and
BVMI. Mr. Biaggini and the BVMI corporation are required to provide full financial disclosure of all its assets,
property and institutions. USEPA staff is now making inquires into Mr. Biaggini's and BVMI's financial records
to determine the validity of his claims as to his inability to pay for remedial and on-site works at both mine
sites.
In a letter received by the Regional Board on July 20, 1999, USEPA stated its intent to place Buena Vista
170
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and Klau Mines on the CERCLA National Priority List to ensure long-term remediation is completed, and
also address long term site operation and maintenance issues. Presently, Regional Board staff does not
believe that listing these sites is necessary.
Current Status
The mining waste retort pile at the Buena Vista Mine has been removed and placed in the repository con-
structed near the Open Pit area. The total volume of waste placed in the repository is approximately 118,700
cubic yards. Approximately 5000 cubic yards of mining waste has been placed in the Klau Mine repository.
The Buena Vista repository has been covered, capped, and drainage channels installed. All water is being
diverted to the southern or to the eastern drainage courses. The drainage course where the old retort pile
formerly existed has been re-sloped and stabilized. Rock has been added to the bottom of the drainage
valley. The California Conservation Corps is scheduled to arrive the week of October 30th to construct
erosion barriers, place straw bales, and plant approximately 2500 native trees. Once this is completed,
USEPA will hydro-seed the entire area.
Unfortunately, the new acid mine drainage treatment system will not be completed this year. Design and
cost estimates have come in considerably higher than anticipated. The existing, temporary treatment plant
utilizing baker tanks with sodium bicarbonate and aluminum sulfate addition will be used this winter. USEPA
has hired a local person to watch over the treatment plant operation and erosion control measures for both
sites. USEPA has indicated that it has sufficient funds available to pay for operation and maintenance of the
sites through next spring. An irrigation system will be constructed to discharge the treated water to the hills
located west of the old retort pile. The amount of water being generated on-site (and being collected for
treatment) appears to be lower (as expected), but is anticipated to increase with the rains. USEPA is check-
ing the integrity of the old storage tanks to ensure they will have adequate storage capacity for this winter.
Sludge from the existing storage pond has been pumped to the upper pond, where the sludge will be dried
and then removed.
Approximately 25,000 cubic yards of natural material has been placed on the Klau Mine repository as cover.
The lower Klau Mine open pit has been filled in to promote drainage and minimize ponding. Due to the on-
set of the winter season the re-sloping of the lower Klau site adjacent to the Klau Branch will have to wait
until next spring.
In order to evaluate options for long-term operation and maintenance of the facilities, Regional Board staff
prepared and sent a letter of interest to various environmental consultants on September 27, 2000. The
letter requests that consultant(s) with institutional financial stability, and expertise in mine reclamation and
long-term operation and maintenance of hazardous sites draft a response and submit a letter of qualifica-
tions to the Regional Board by November 1, 2000. However, this letter was not intended to mean that the
Regional Board in any way was assuming long-term operation and liability for either of the mine sites.
Conclusion
A great deal of remedial and reclamation work has been accomplished at the Buena Vista and Klau Mines
the past year and a half due to the presence of USEPA On-Site Removal team, their consultants and con-
tractors. The remaining action items (acid mine drainage treatment plant, draining of the Klau lake and
regrading of several slopes) will hopefully be completed next spring. The owner of the Buena Vista and Klau
Mines continues to be noncompliant with Orders issued by the State and Federal government. Long-term
operation of the acid mine drainage treatment plant, and maintenance of the cover system and the on-site
erosion control measures still remain a concern. Regional Board staff is continuing to coordinate with USEPA
in order to resolve these issues.
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3.8 Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine
3.8.1 An Evaluation of Remote-Sensing Tools for Hydrologic Investigations -
Richard Hammack, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL); G.A.
Veloski, NETL; T.E. Ackman, NETL; J.I. Sams, USGS, Water Resources
Division; R.M. Dilmore, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, University of Pittsburgh; Ellen Manges, USEPA, Region 9;
and David Janney, Tetra Tech EM, Inc.
In collaboration with the EPA (Office of Research and Development in Cincinnati, OH and Region 9 in San
Francisco), Tetra Tech EM, Inc., and the Elem Indian Colony, the National Energy Technology Laboratory
orchestrated airborne geophysical surveys and conducted ground-based geophysical surveys at the Sul-
phur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund Site. The objective of these surveys was to determine if these rapid
techniques can provide an accurate and useful "snapshot" of site hydrology. It is recognized that these
techniques must be used in tandem with conventional hydrologic evaluation methods to achieve a compre-
hensive understanding of site hydrology. However, the hypothesis is that geophysical surveys can quickly
delimit areas that require further study using conventional hydrologic testing, and thereby reduce the overall
cost of the hydrologic assessment by focusing these more expensive and time-consuming activities on
smaller areas. The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine site was chosen because an extensive array of groundwa-
ter monitoring wells are being evaluated as part of the ongoing remedial information feasibility study (RIFS)
for the site. When available, information from these wells will provide a comprehensive understanding of the
geology and hydrology of the site, and provide verification for airborne and ground-based geophysical data
from this study.
Goals for the current study were to:
determine the accuracy of the geophysical information, its spatial correctness, and its geologic or
hydrologic interpretation,
determine the value of geophysical information to the understanding of site hydrology and geology,
and
determine the cost effectiveness of geophysical techniques if used in conjunction with more
conventional methods for collecting hydrologic information.
This investigation employed total magnetic field determinations (using fixed base stations to correct for
diurnal variations) and horizontal- and vertical-dipole terrain conductivity measurements that were initially
collected from an aircraft platform. Subsequently, selected anomalies identified by airborne geophysical
surveys were made the subject of a more focused ground-based survey that employed identical geophysi-
cal techniques. The results were then interpreted based on published geologic maps and anecdotal infor-
mation on mining history.
Total field magnetic results collected from aircraft showed that the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine was located
within a geologic zone with a distinct magnetic signature. This distinct signature was that of an andesite flow
whose boundaries can easily be recognized even beneath Clear Lake (Figure 1). The airborne magnetic
results also showed evidence for both known and previously unrecognized faults.
172
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n
A
CiEARLAKE SHORELINE
HERMAN Pf?
500 0 500 1(K>0 Meters
EXPLANATION
. » „ EXTENT OF ANOESITE
FLOW
Figure 1. Total field magnetometry of Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine and vicinity. Darker areas are areas of higher magnetic field.
Airborne terrain conductivity results showed conductive zones that converge on Herman Pit (the now aban-
doned and flooded open-pit of the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine) from the west, northwest, and north (Figure
2). These zones of anomalous electrical conductivity were primarily interpreted to be areas of water-satu-
rated ground although other explanations were considered. Other possible explanations included:
lake sediments because of their clay mineral content are more conductive than the andesite flow or
the predominantly andesite-derived waste rock dumps on the site. In areas where the lake
sediments are near to the surface, the increased conductivity of these sediments may be
misinterpreted to be a hydrologic-based anomaly.
the presence of conductive metal scrap which is pervasive at the site. Scrap metal is common near
the surface but may also be present at depth in waste rock dumps.
the possible existence of conductive mineralization. Deposits of conductive metal sulfide minerals
may be present at the site, particularly along fault zones.
173
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CLEAR LAKE SHORELINE
HtRMANPIT
EXPLANATION
crewr
ANOMALY
Figure 2. Airborne terrain conductivity of Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine collected at a frequency of 1500 hz using horizontal coplanar
coil geometry. Darker areas are areas of higher conductivity.
Ground-based geophysical surveys were focused on the conductive zone (Figure 2) that extended west-
ward from Herman Pit through piles of waste rock and into Clear Lake. A 200-m by 220-m grid (Figure 3)
was established over these waste rock piles and included the area of anomalous conductivity identified by
airborne surveys. A Geonics EM-34-3XL terrain conductivity instrument was used to measure conductivity
using horizontal and vertical dipole coil configurations and transmitter/receiver separations of 20 m and 40
m. The ground conductivity survey results also contained an elongated conductivity anomaly that extended
from Herman Pit to Clear Lake at the same location as the airborne anomaly. Possible interpretations could
be a buried paleochannel where water is the electrically conductive medium, or a shear zone where water or
mineralization could be responsible for the observed conductivity. Both interpretations are consistent with
geophysical data and with known geologic and geomorphologic structures in the area. Although geologic
and hydrologic information from the RIFS is not yet available to the public, conversations with the principal
investigators working on the RIFS have indicated that geophysical results are consistent with the results of
their detailed study.
The interim conclusions for this ongoing study are:
airborne geophysical surveys were corroborated by ground-based geophysical surveys
the results of airborne and ground-based geophysical surveys are consistent with the results of
drilling and detailed geologic mapping
airborne geophysical surveys are a very effective means for quickly acquiring data that is pertinent
to the characterization of site geology and hydrology.
174
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Figure 3. Ground-based conductivity survey collected using vertical dipole configuration and 40-m coil spacing. Darker areas are
areas of higher conductivity.
3.8.2 The Active Hydrothermal System and Mercury Flux at Sulphur Bank
Mine, California - Fraser Goff (Presenter), Los Alamos National Laboratory;
Cathy J. Janik, USGS; Deborah Bergfeld, Los Alamos National Laboratory;
and Dale Counce, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) hydrothermal system (Figure 1) formed between 44.5 and 34 kybp and
is related to northward-migrating magmatism in the Plio-Pliestocene Clear Lake volcanic field (Hearn et al.,
1981; Sims and White, 1981). About 2 x 1061 of S and 4.7 x 106 kg of Hg were mined intermittently from
1856 to 1957 (Becker, 1888; White and Roberson, 1962). Host rocks in the mine consist of faulted Franciscan
Complex metasediments (Jurassic to Eocene) overlain by Quaternary sediments and basaltic andesite
(Hearn et al., 1995). Thermal fluids rise from a small reservoir that is ~215°C at 500 m depth. Limited
permeability, CaCO3 scaling and environmental concerns prevented commercial geothermal development
in the 1960s (Goff et al., 1977; Goff and Janik, 1993). Thermal modeling combined with geologic and
geochemical data require that a young intrusive body underlies the SBMM area at a roof depth of ~4 km
(Stimac et al., 1997).
SBMM fluids are geochemically distinct from other thermal fluids in the Clear Lake region (Figs 2, 3 and 4;
White et al., 1973). Thermal waters are of Na-HCO3-CI-B composition (<9,000 ppm TDS) and ratios of I/CI,
175
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Ntc/CI, Br/CI and B/CI indicate that the waters originate by thermal metamorphism of marine rocks (Goff et
al.c, 1995). SBMM gases contain roughly 90% CO2, 0.03-0.5% H2S, 5-10% CH4, <0.004% NH3, and <6 x
10-7 % Hg (mol-% dry gas). Isotope values of 3He/4He (R/RA) = 7.5 and 534S-H2S ~ 0.0%o indicate mantle-
magmatic origins whereas values of 513C-CO2 ~-10.5%o and 615N-N2 ~ +2.5%o suggest contributions from
organic remains in marine rocks.
Figure 1. Location map of SBMM showing sample locations and CO2 soil gas traverses; Iw = leaking geothermal well (from
Bergfeld, 2000).
Soil gas CO2 flux at SBMM is variable depending on location (Figure 5) but a value of ~9 tons per day (t/day)
is calculated from the log transformed data (Bergfeld, 2000). Measured CO2 flux from gas vents in Herman
Pit (HP) is ~1 t/day; thus, the total CO2 flux at SBMM is about 10 ± 5 t/day. Combined with gas chemistry
mentioned above, the maximum H2S flux is <0.04 t/day and the maximum Hg vapor flux is <0.3 grams per
day (g/day). These values are maxima because considerable H2S and Hg are reacted and scrubbed into
soil and shallow ground waters in the mine area.
Natural hot spring discharge at SBMM was measured in the late 1950s at roughly 0.2 to 0.4 cubic meters per
minute (m3/min) (White and Roberson, 1962). Hot spring waters originate from the underlying geothermal
system and now enter HP where they are diluted and mixed with roughly 50% young ground water and rain
(Table 1). Although no reliable data on Hg contents in these waters exist from the past, thermal water in a
presently leaking geothermal well geochemically resembles deep fluids and contains at least 0.0035 ppm
Hg. The Hg content of HP water varies depending on depth, site, and season but may be as much as
0.0015 ppm. Thus, most Hg is precipitated from thermal fluids at the bottom and margins of HP. Present
discharge of HP water into Clear Lake averages about 0.38 m3/min (Reller et al., 2000), so the amount of Hg
transported into Clear Lake (excluding Hg leached from the intervening barrier) averages no more than
about 1 g/day. Clear Lake water samples collected by the rip-rap adjacent to the barrier contain <0.0001
ppm Hg and overall there is <1% HP water mixed into lake water (Table 1; Bergfeld, 2000).
176
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CONNATE
* fi-sickc-si Complex
CuS'aai Valky MquqiK<
CO
I
* ruucboafi Carapb* I
O&gJL Vatby sequence |
•SfciWBf
Figures 2 and 3. Plots of Br vs. Cl and B vs. Cl for thermal/mineral waters of the Clear Lake region. All waters including those from
SBMM fall on the seawater trend (Figure 2) indicating interaction of hydrothermal fluids with marine rocks. In contrast, Figure 3
shows that SBMM waters have unusually high B/CI caused by thermal metamorphism of marine rocks by subjacent magma (from
Goff etal., 1995).
177
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10H>S
Figure 4. Triangular plot of CO2 -H2 S-CH4 (mol-%) for gases from selected geothermal systems. Systems hosted in volcanic rocks
have low relative CH4 whereas those hosted in sedimentary rocks (e.g., The Geysers and SBMM) contain high relative CH4. Most
Clear Lake region sites produce extremely CO2-rich gases, typical of Soda Springs. Ngawha, a system in New Zealand, closely
resembles the SBMM system. Cerro Prieto is a large geothermal field in Mexico. Sulphur Mound is a small system 15 km south of
SBMM (from Goff and Janik, 1993).
CO j Flux
200m
Figure 5. Generalized contour map of CO2 soil gas flux measured at 62 sites at SBMM; values are in gram per meter squared per
day (Bergfeld, 2000).
178
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Table 1. Selected Chemistry in Some SBMM Waters, Clear Lake, and Other Thermal Waters (Bergfeld, 2000 and F. Goff and C.J.
Janik, unpub.). Values are in ppm unless noted otherwise.
Site
Date
TioC
)
•v
H
B
Cl
NH4
SO4
Hg
Comments
SBMM Geothermal Water
Geyser Spg
Leaking Well
3/57
9/95
69.5
31.5
6.8
8.6
620
747
644
858
464
535
598
278
n.a.
0.00351
White etal., 1973
Magma-Sul. Bank#l
SBMM Pits and Ponds
Herman Pit
Herman Pit
Herman Pit
Herman Pit
Herman Pit
Herman Pit
Herman Pit
North Pit
Frog Pond
9/93
12/93
12/93
9/95
9/95
11/97
11/97
9/95
9/95
23.5
14.0
14.0
23.4
23.3
17.2
17.6
21.0
24.5
3.1
3.1
3.1
2.9
2.8
3.0
2.9
2.4
5.8
336
333
329
278
282
279
286
6.6
0.09
335
350
355
333
337
324
318
6.7
4.8
288
355
365
254
263
224
220
20.4
O.02
3340
3390
3410
3460
3580
2730
2650
4700
23.8
0.0003
0.0006
<0.0005
0.0001
0.0003
<0.0001
0.0012
0.0004
0.0001
North shore, gas
vents
North shore, gas
vents
West end
North shore, gas
vents
West end
North shore, gas
vents
West end
Southeast edge
Southwest edge
Clear Lxke
SBMM rip -rap
SBMM rip-rap
SBMM rip -rap
Clear Lake
Highlands
9/95
11/97
11/97
12/93
11/97
20.2
15.9
15.6
12.0
13.3
8.3
8.5
7.5
7.9
8.1
1.09
1.03
3.70
1.44
0.97
6.4
5.7
8.4
18.3
5.6
0.70
2.06
2.74
0.06
0.11
10.1
8.1
35.4
7.2
4.7
<0.0000
5
<0.0001
0.0001
<0.0005
<0.0001
Center of rip-rap
North end np-rap
South end np-rap
End of pier in lake
Edge of lake
Other Regional Thermal Springs
Big Soda
Jones
9/95
10/95
31.0
55.0
8.6
8.8
13.0
302
62.5
1190
0
5.7
248
0.21
220
<0.0000
5
0.0017
Soda Bay, Clear
Lake
Wilbur Springs area
1 An unfiltered sample of this same water contained 0.066 ppmHg.
Acknowledgments
The U.S. DOE, Office of Geothermal Technologies partially funded our previous work at SBMM. We thank
the Bradley Mining Co. and the USEPA for access to the mine site over the years. E. Manges (EPA)
encouraged us to write this contribution.
References
Becker, G. R, 1888, Geology of the quicksilver deposits of the Pacific Slope: USGS, Monograph 13, 486 p.
Bergfeld, D., 2000, Geothermal systems and CO2 degassing: The Geysers-Clear Lake and Dixie Valley
regions of California and Nevada: Ph.D. thesis, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 110 p.
Goff, R, and Janik, C.J., 1993, Gas geochemistry and guide for geothermal features in the Clear Lake
region, California: Soc. Econ. Geol. Guidebook Series, v. 16, p. 207-261.
179
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Goff, R, Donnelly, J.M., Thompson, J.M., and Hearn, B.C., 1977, Geothermal prospecting in The Geysers-
Clear Lake region, northern California: Geology, v. 5, p. 509-515.
Goff, R, Janik, C.J., and Stimac, J.A., 1995, Sulphur Bank Mine, California: An example of a magmatic
rather than metamorphic hydrothermal system?: Proc. World Geotherm. Congress, 1995, Florence,
Italy, v. 2, p. 1105-1110.
Hearn, B.C., Donnelly-Nolan, J.M., and Goff, R, 1981, The Clear Lake Volcanics: Tectonic setting and magma
sources: USGS Prof. Paper 1141, p. 25-45.
Hearn, B.C., Donnelly-Nolan, J.M., and Goff, R, 1995, Geologic map and structure sections of the Clear
Lake Volcanics, northern California: USGS, Misc. Invest. Series, Map I-2362, 1:24,000 scale, 3
sheets, color.
Reller, G.J., Jewett, D., and Manges, E., 2000, Recent geochemical sampling and mercury sources at
Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, Lake County, California: This volume.
Sims, J.D., and White, D.E., 1981, Mercury in the sediments of Clear Lake: USGS Prof. Paper 1141, p. 237-
241.
Stimac, J., Goff, R, and Wohletz, K., 1997, Thermal Modeling of the Clear Lake magmatic system,
California: Implications for conventional and hot dry rock geothermal development: Los Alamos
Nat'l. Lab., Rept. LA-12778-MS, 38 pp.
White, D.E., and Roberson, C.R, 1962, Sulphur Bank, California, a major hot-spring quicksilver deposit:
Geol. Soc. America, Buddington Volume, p. 397-428.
White, D.E., Barnes, I., and O'Neil, J.R., 1973, Thermal and mineral waters of nonmeteoric origin, California
Coast Ranges: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 84, p. 547-560.
3.8.3 Recent Geochemical Sampling and Mercury Sources at Sulphur Bank
Mercury Mine, Lake County California - David G. Jewett, USEPA, R.S. Kerr
Environmental Research Center; Ellen Manges, USEPA, Region 9; and
Gregory J. Reller (Presenter), Tetra Tech EM, Inc.
The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine in Lake County, California has been identified as a significant source of
mercury to Clear Lake. The mine was operated from the 1880s through the 1950s. Mining started with
surface operations and then progressed to shaft and later open pit techniques. Pit mining created Herman
Impoundment; a 20 acre, 90 feet deep pit located approximately 100 yards from the shore of Clear Lake to
the west of Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine. The USEPA recently completed sampling of 65 wells, springs, and
surface water bodies in the vicinity of the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine to identify sources of mercury and
groundwater pathways from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine to Clear Lake. The water samples were ana-
lyzed for metals including mercury and major ions including B, Br, and Li. Ion ratios show that hydrothermal
solutions are present in nearly all of the on-site sampling points. The hydrothermal solutions are diluted to
varying degrees by surface water, and infiltrating precipitation. Dissolved mercury was detected at concen-
trations up to 350 ng/L in groundwater. The sources of mercury in groundwater at the site are water-rock
interaction, the hydrothermal system, and possibly suspended particulates.
Introduction
The SBMM is adjacent to Clear Lake in Lake County, California. Salient features of SBMM are the waste
rock, tailings, and ore piles; Herman Impoundment, an active hydrothermal system, and naturally mineral-
ized rock. A waste rock pile (waste rock dam) was placed between Herman Impoundment and Clear Lake.
Water from Herman Impoundment seeps through the waste rock dam and discharges to Clear Lake. Con-
sideration of these features resulted in identifying the following questions regarding sources of mercury and
groundwater pathways from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine to Clear Lake:
180
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1. Has the hydrologic system changed significantly since investigations by earlier workers such as
White and Roberson? Since the late 1800s?
2 Do chemicals migrating in acid rock drainage from the waste rock, tailings, and ore piles transport
mercury to groundwater?
3. What is the source for mercury discharging to Clear Lake in the vicinity of the waste rock dam?
Attempts to answer these questions are provided in the body of this paper.
Water Chemistry
Sixty-five sampling points (3 ponds, two springs, Clear Lake, a wetland, and 52 monitoring wells) were
sampled for chemical analysis. The wells include two sampling points within the shallow (<200 feet deep)
hydrothermal system as evidenced by water temperatures in excess of 80 °C. As part of this work wells
screened within Franciscan Complex and Lake Bed sediments below the andesite of Sulphur Bank were
sampled. The water samples were analyzed for metals and major ions. The chemistry data was then
evaluated using graphical techniques to identify water from different sources at the site. Scatter plots, Stiff
diagrams, and Piper plots were used to evaluate the chemical data. Scatter plots of ion concentrations (for
example the B vs Cl, graph shown below) indicate that hydrothermal solutions are present in nearly all of the
on-site sampling points. The hydrothermal solutions are diluted to varying degrees. Comparison of Stiff
diagrams resulted in identification of several different types of water based on ratios of cations and anions.
Comparison of selected scatter plots to Stiff diagrams and groundwater flow paths resulted in identification
of an oxidation trend of hydrothermal solutions from reduced nearly neutral high temperature hydrothermal
solutions (pH = 6.8, Eh = -SOOmV) to acid sulphate solutions (pH = 3, Eh = SOOmV). This trend is also shown
on the Piper plot by increasing sulphate along the groundwater flow path suggesting that sulphur species
are oxidized as groundwater flows away from the hydrothermal system. Along this chemical trajectory lie
the waters of greatest interest to understanding the sources of mercury at SBMM: water of Herman Im-
poundment, and groundwater within the waste rock dam water bearing zone.
8
800,0-
600.0-1
400.0-
200.0-
May - June 2000 Hydrochemistry Data
Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine
I HW-UD
O ***
375.0
750.0 1125.0
CHLORIDE (mg/L)
1500.0
181
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Water from Herman Impoundment is oxidized (Eh = 400V) and contains lower sulphate in comparison to the
naturally occurring acid-sulphate water (Eh = 200mV). The sulphate concentration in Herman Impound-
ment is maintained by the flux of hydrothermal gas (predominantly carbon dioxide and methane with less
hydrogen sulfide) constantly bubbling through Herman Impoundment. The gas is discharged naturally from
the hydrothermal system. Water from Herman Impoundment seeps through the waste rock dam and dis-
charges to Clear Lake. The Eh of groundwater within the waste rock dam water bearing zone varies from
327 mV to 507 mV, with no apparent spatial trends. The pH of groundwater across the waste rock dam
ranges from 3.00 to 3.36. Water from Herman Impoundment is present in the waste rock dam water bearing
unit, and may be present in the andesite water bearing zone. However, groundwater chemistry of Franciscan
assemblage, lower lake sediment, and andesite water bearing zone wells chemically resembles cooled and/
or oxidized hydrothermal water instead of Herman Impoundment water.
Mercury Sources
Mercury content in the groundwater at SBMM ranges from below detection limits of 0.2 ng/L to 350 ng/L.
Mercury concentrations detected in hydrothermal water range from 0.2 ^g/L to 3.8 ng/L. Mercury was not
detected in water from Herman Impoundment during this work. Mercury concentrations detected in ground-
water from the waste rock dam water bearing zone range from 0.3 ng/L to 350 ng/L. In general, a trend of
increasing mercury concentration along the flow path from Herman Impoundment toward Clear Lake is
present in groundwater of the waste rock dam water bearing unit.
Previous workers have concluded that acid rock drainage is the main source of mercury in water at Sulphur
Bank. However, surface water at Sulphur Bank, though acidic, does not contain appreciable dissolved
mercury in comparison to the groundwater. For example, runoff samples collected in 1996 contained 0.1
ng/L to 1,600 ng/LTHg, but only 0.1 to 2 ng/L dissolved mercury (Suchanekand others 1997, USEPA1994).
This indicates that acid rock drainage can not contribute significantly to the dissolved mercury observed in
groundwater at the site. There is a significant quantity of sulphur within mining related rock at Sulphur Bank,
and this sulphur creates acid when it contacts water. However, most of the acid drainage originating in this
way flows into Herman Impoundment which contains low concentrations of mercury. Further, groundwater
from monitoring wells screened within waste rock, tailings, or ore outside of the waste rock dam at the site
does not contain elevated mercury contents. Of the 14 monitoring wells screened within or adjacent to
waste rock, tailings, and ore outside of the waste rock dam, only 3 wells contain detectable mercury (maxi-
mum concentration 0.64 fj,g/L). Thus, acid rock drainage alone is not responsible for the observed mercury
content of the groundwater. Instead, the water containing elevated mercury contents (with respect to the
hydrothermal water) originates in Herman Impoundment and chemically evolves in contact with waste rock.
Potential sources for the elevated mercury concentrations present in groundwater at SBMM include the
hydrothermal system, water-rock interactions involving in-situ rock not disturbed by mining, and water-rock
interactions involving mining related rock such as waste rock, tailings or ore. Potential water-rock interac-
tion paths include infiltration of precipitation through rock, seepage of Herman Impoundment water through
rock, and hydrothermal solutions reacting with rock. Numerous workers have documented that the hydro-
thermal solutions at Sulphur Bank are actively depositing cinnabar. The current work supports the hypoth-
esis that shallow (within approximately 200 feet of the ground surface) hydrothermal solutions contain mer-
cury (up to 3.8 ng/Lof mercury). This mercury is likely derived from near neutral, low Eh hydrothermal water
which transports mercury upwards from deeper within the hydrothermal system. However, these natural
processes do not explain the presence of up to 350 ng/L mercury in waste rock dam water bearing zone
wells. Current observations such as the increase of mercury content along the flow path away from Herman
Impoundment, and tendency of metal contents to increase with increasing Eh in groundwater at the site
indicate that water-rock interactions may control mercury content of the groundwater through a change in
chemical equilibria related to the mercury species present in solution. A firm conclusion as to whether the
mercury present in waste rock dam wells is caused by interaction of Herman Impoundment water with waste
rock, or infiltration of precipitation (or a combination of these factors) is not currently supported by available
information.
However, the observation that the highest concentrations of mercury are associated with the highest mea-
sured Eh values in Sulphur Bank Groundwater indicates that aqueous chemistry may play a significant role
in mobilizing mercury above the solubility of elemental mercury. The Eh of groundwater containing mercury
above the solubility of elemental mercury (63 ng/L) is above 480 mV (486 to 502 mV). The measured pH
and Eh of the groundwater within the waste rock dam water bearing zone is near the boundary between the
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stability fields for elemental mercury and aqueous mercury chloride complexes. Thus, elevated Eh may
lead to formation of aqueous mercury chloride complexes in turn resulting in dissolved mercury concentra-
tions above solubility limit for elemental mercury.
Conclusions
Regarding the three questions given in the introduction.
The finding that warm nearly neutral hydrothermal water oxidizes to cooler acid-sulphate water that reacts
with in-situ rock is consistent with earlier work at the site. The hydrologic system at Sulphur Bank has not
changed significantly since investigations by earlier workers.
Mercury migrating in acid rock drainage does not appear to contribute a significant amount of mercury to
groundwater at Sulphur Bank. Acid rock drainage alone does not provide a source for mercury observed at
Sulphur Bank. Groundwater from wells screened in waste rock, tailings, and ore outside of the waste rock
dam does not contain elevated (with respect to natural hydrothermal solutions) mercury.
As Herman Impoundment water seeps through the waste rock separating it from Clear Lake, mercury con-
tents in groundwater increase away from Herman Impoundment. Current data do not support a firm conclu-
sion as to the mechanism mobilizing this mercury. The mercury may be mobilized from the waste rock by
seeping Herman Impoundment water as Eh and pH conditions vary along the flow path. Alternatively,
infiltration of precipitation through the waste rock may mobilize mercury salts from oxidized waste rock
above the water table or create an influx of particles containing adsorbed mercury. Perhaps a combination
of these factors contributes to the observed mercury distribution.
3.5.4 Influence of Acid Mine Drainage from the Abandoned Sulphur Bank
Mercury Mine on Methyl Mercury Production in Clear Lake (CA) - Thomas
H. Suchanek (Presenter), Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation
Biology; Amanda L Bern, Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation
Biology; Peggie King, Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation
Biology; Kenneth McElroy, Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation
Biology; Douglas C. Nelson, Division of Biological Sciences, University
of California; Robert Zierenberg, Department of Geology, University of
California; and William Shipp, Department of Geology, University of
California
Introduction
The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (currently a USEPA Superfund site) was active intermittently along the
shoreline of Clear Lake from 1872 to 1957 for processing cinnabar. Mining was accomplished initially by
shaft mining, but after the turn of the century primarily by open pit mining, resulting in a 30 m deep excava-
tion (the Herman Pit) now filled with ca. pH 3 fluids and separated from Clear Lake by a wasterock berm
approximately 200 m wide. Beginning in 1992 we have investigated mercury contamination (both inorganic
Hg and methyl Hg) in Clear Lake biotic and abiotic compartments and have made a preliminary estimate of
the primary sources of mercury loading to Clear Lake. In 1995 we discovered a white alumino-silicate
flocculent material (floe) in Clear Lake at the mine face that is positively associated with AMD from the
Sulphur Bank Mine, and have followed the formation and distribution of this floe every year since (Figure 1).
We have conducted preliminary studies on the extent of AMD flow into Clear Lake and further investigated
the influence of the floe on the production of methyl Hg.
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Figure 1.
1 A. Distribution of floe in the nearshore region of the mine during 1998, showing a significant reduction in aerial coverage coincident
with a reduction in precipitation from April through November.
1B. Cross-sectional view of mine site including the Herman Pit, three monitoring wells in the waste rock piles and Clear Lake.
Dashed line indicates bottom of waste rock pile, which rests on an andesite sill. Note: Fig 1B not to scale.
Floe
The concentration of total (primarily inorganic) Hg in surficial sediments, in the vicinity of a long-term sam-
pling site (OA-01) in the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake near the mine, ranges between 150-450 mg/kg (ppm)
(Figure 2a). Thus, these sediments represent some of the most Hg contaminated sediments yet reported for
any lake system in the world. However, surficial sediments from a site where floe is typically produced from
AMD (site OA-OF) show considerably lower values of total Hg which range from ca. 25-100 mg/kg. For
methyl Hg, however, the opposite trend has been observed. Sediments from OA-01 typically exhibit methyl
Hg concentrations around 5-20 ng/kg (ppb), whereas sediments from the OA-OF site can, during peak
methylation periods, reach upwards of ca. 100 u,g/kg of methyl Hg, a value that is about 20-80 times higher
than most all other regions in Clear Lake that have been sampled over the past 6 years (Figure 2b). Porewater
sulfate at both the OA-OF floe site and OA-01 is also exceptionally high, with seasonal peaks reaching
concentrations upwards of 4,000-5,000 mg/L (ppm), which also represents concentrations ca. 1,000-2,000
higher than most all other regions in Clear Lake that have been sampled over the past 6 years (Figure 2c).
Based on these data alone, it appears that AMD from the mine reaches as far out into Clear Lake as OA-01
or beyond, >300 m from the mine face.
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OA-1 Sediment
QAftoe
Figure 2. Long-term monitoring data for (A) THg [mg/kg (ppm) dry weight] and (B) methyl mercury [^g/kg (ppb) dry weight] in sedi-
ments, and (C) sulfate [mg/L (ppm) dry weight] in lake water and sediment porewater at sites OA-1 (ambient conditions near the mine)
and OA-F (floe site) from 1994-1998.
185
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Acid Mine Drainage
Rapid mixing of fluids emanating from sediments into the lake causes dilution that precludes characteriza-
tion of the sulfate contaminated fluids from bottom water samples. A sediment porefluid study was initiated
in order to establish the likely sources and flow paths of contaminant fluids entering the lake. Cores were
collected along two east-west transects extending from the mine face out into Clear Lake about 70 m (Figure
3). A core collected at Site OA-04,1.2 km from the mine face, served as a background control. Pore-fluids
were extracted from 5 to 10 cm intervals down-core and were analyzed for major elements, selected minor
elements, pH, 518O, 5D, and 634S of dissolved sulfate. Figure 4 shows down core profiles of pH, iron, sulfate
and boron along one of the transects (B-B'). At the background site OA-04, pH is slightly alkaline, iron and
boron concentrations are less than 0.05 mM and 0.1 mM respectively, and sulfate is ca. 0.03 mM near the
surface, decreasing to levels below detection down core due to bacterial sulfate reduction. In contrast, all of
the cores collected near the mine face show evidence of AMD including acidic pH and elevated iron and
sulfate. Down-core profiles of geochemically conservative tracers, including Na, Cl, B, 618O, and 8D, con-
verge toward compositions characteristic of waters in Herman Pit and indicate vertical flux of fluids derived
from the mine site into Clear Lake. The shape of the porefluid profiles indicates predominantly diffusive
transport of fluids in the core collected further from the mine face, but cores collected nearer to the waste
rock dam indicate active vertical advection of AMD contaminated fluids. The concentrations of the deepest
porefluids samples are consistent with derivation of all of the hydrothermally derived components by fluid
mixing in Herman Pit and preclude a significant flux of hydrothermal fluid directly through the sediment.
186
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Figure 3. Region nearshore to Sulphur Bank Mine and Herman Pit showing transects used in this study.
187
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Cores collected in areas of active floe formation nearest the shore are also affected by a second fluid that is
traveling through near-surface sediment by horizontal advection (Figure 5). These fluids are more dilute
than Herman Pit waters with respect to conservative elements such as Na, Cl, and B, but have pH values as
low as 3.8, sulfate concentrations (up to ca. 200 mM) more than 7 times those of Herman Pit waters and up
to 45 mM Al. The geochemical characteristics and oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of these
fluids demonstrate they are predominantly surface waters or shallow groundwaters that have been contami-
nated by acid and metals due to oxidation of pyrite and marcasite in mineralized waste rock. These highly
acidic, oxidized fluids have the capacity to transport elevated levels of dissolved Hg to Clear Lake. Down-
core depletion of sulfate, coupled with increases in 534S of dissolved sulfate, suggest that bacterial sulfate
reduction is occurring, a process that would be expected to produce highly toxic and bioavailable methyl Hg.
WwtoRock
Dam
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)"
Figure 5. SBMM Hydrology Map: SBMM and the adjoining Clear Lake have typical water inputs and outputs, except SBMM receives
a significant input from hydrothermal fluid.
Mercury Methylation
Production of methyl Hg from inorganic Hg is accomplished by groups of microbes that are principally or
exclusively active in anoxic sediments. Studies by others have supported the view that sulfate-reducing
bacteria are most active in this process in both freshwater and estuarine settings. Additionally, these studies
have shown that methyl Hg production is sometimes enhanced by: 1) moderate acidity, 2) an intermediate
concentration of sulfate, 3) mesophilic temperatures, 4) a readily available source of organic carbon and 5)
a source of inorganic, bioavailable, Hg. The physical/chemical/biological conditions present in the vicinity of
the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (e.g. at OA-OF) meet most or all of these criteria throughout the year.
Increased acidity from AMD lowers sediment pH from typical Clear Lake water (ca. 8.0) to less than 4.0. The
temperature of Clear Lake is highest during late summer and early fall (when the highest methyl Hg concen-
trations typically are detected). Wind-driven currents deposit many different types of organic matter (e.g.
decomposing emergent macrophytes and bluegreen algae, dead fish) at the eastern end of the Oaks Arm of
Clear Lake, producing a milieu resembling an organic soup near the mine. This decomposition also contrib-
utes to a considerably lowered oxygen tension in the region closest to the mine. There is ample inorganic
mercury present in these sediments (see above), and sulfate-reducing bacteria (as well as a host of other
potential methylating-microbes) are abundant in these sediments. Almost all of these conditions, some
natural, some anthropogenically driven, may provide an optimal environment for the production of methyl
Hg. However, the most acidic Clear Lake sediment porewaters measured (pH 3.7) nearest to the mine may
be locally inhibitory to sulfate-reducing bacteria.
188
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In order to test the effectiveness of sediments from different regions of Clear Lake to enhance methyl Hg
production, we conducted a series of microcosm experiments. Sediment cores were collected from all arms
of the lake, including some impacted heavily by AMD (OA-OF site). Cores were incubated for several days
without Hg-amendment at in-situ temperature. The overlying water, which was rendered anoxic in some
treatments and kept aerated in others, was sampled periodically and tested for increase in methyl Hg con-
tent over time. In some treatments chironomids were added to increase bioturbation and test the possibility
that this would lead to greater methyl Hg efflux. Although all sediments from Clear Lake have a fairly uniform
potential to methylate spiked-Hg++, core tube microcosms that did not receive any Hg amendments gave a
very different picture. Those core tubes that contained Clear Lake sediments with the highest concentration
of AMD inputs from the mine (i.e. floe from site OA-OF) showed rates of methyl Hg efflux to overlying water
that were roughly 20-fold higher than any of the other microcosms. All other "treatments" (i.e. overlying
water oxic or anoxic, chironomids present or absent) had a marginal influence on efflux compared to whether
the sediment was heavily impacted by AMD (efflux high) or collected several km from the mine (efflux low).
The use of molybdate ions (a specific inhibitor of sulfate-reducing bacteria) in slurry experiments showed
that these bacteria are responsible for roughly only one third of the methylation potential at non-AMD im-
pacted sites. Similar inhibitor studies have yet to be performed with the sediments that support the highest
methyl Hg efflux because we have only recently understood the direct impact of AMD on such sites (e.g. OA-
OF).
Summary/Conclusions
The unique environmental conditions adjacent to the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (as compared with all
other regions in Clear Lake studied to date) appear highly favorable for the enhanced production of methyl
Hg. These conditions appear to be created and influenced by natural and anthropogenic processes. Once
methyl Hg is formed, it often adheres to particles which are then transported by wind-driven currents to
other, far distant locations within Clear Lake (Figure 6). Understanding the role of AMD from the Sulphur
Bank Mercury Mine on Hg methylation is critical for 1) establishing a remedial plan for the Superfund site, 2)
establishing TMDL targets for Hg point source loadings/reduction and 3) ultimately lowering Hg concentra-
tions in higher trophic level species such as channel catfish and largemouth bass in Clear Lake.
Wind Direction
Current
Figure 6. Diagrammatic representation of subsurface movement of mine fluids into Clear Lake, wind-driven currents and the region
of floe formation.
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3.5.5 Bounds on Subsurface Mercury Flux from the Sulphur Bank Mercury
Mine, Lake County, California - David Jewett (Presenter), USEPA, NRMRL;
Gregory J. Reller, TetraTech EM, Inc.; Ellen Manges, USEPA, Region 9;
and Edward R. Bates, USEPA, NRMRL
Introduction
Clear Lake, located in Lake County, California, is one of the largest natural fresh water lakes in the state.
Elevated mercury levels were first identified in fish from Clear Lake in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Although naturally occurring mercury deposits are common in this region, the SBMM, located on the eastern
shore of the Oaks Arm of Clear Lake, is an obvious source of mercury entering the Clear Lake ecosystem.
Over the past year, the USEPA has been conducting a comprehensive site investigation to characterize the
hydrogeologic and geochemical setting at the SBMM. This presentation reports the preliminary results of
the hydrogeologic investigation.
The Sulphur Bank ore deposit was discovered in 1857 and it has since been described as one of the most
productive hydrothermal mineral deposits in the world. The SBMM is located at the intersection of several
regional faults which serve as conduits for upwelling hydrothermal fluids and gases. Cinnabar was depos-
ited along the faults just below the pre-mining water table and native sulphur was deposited at and near the
ground surface. The SBMM was initially mined for the surface sulphur beginning in 1865. Subsurface
mining of mercury began in 1872 and open pit mining operations began in 1927. The SBMM closed in 1957.
The SBMM was once one of the largest mercury producers in California and it produced an estimated 1.03
x 107 Ibs (4.7 x 106 kg) of mercury during its lifetime. Surface mining removed over 1.2 x 106 tons of material
and produced a 23 acre, 90 ft deep open pit, known as the Herman Pit. The SBMM site encompasses
approximately 120 acres of exposed mine wastes surrounding the Herman Pit, which subsequently filled
with water when mining operations ceased. The Herman Pit collects surface and ground water from the site.
The pit also receives gas and water input from local hydrothermal activity. Oxidation of H2S gas and sulfide
minerals has generated acidic water in the pit (pH ~3). The water level in the pit is approximately 12-15 ft
higher than the level of Clear Lake creating a hydraulic gradient from the pit to the lake. Hydraulically
important geologic units, from a ground water discharge/mercury loading point of view, include the waste
rock/upper lake sediments unit, the andesite unit, and the lower lake sediments unit. Subsurface outflow
from the pit passes through these units and leaches mercury before entering Clear Lake.
Previous studies have attempted to estimate subsurface flows from the Herman Pit to Clear Lake. Based on
the rate at which the pit was pumped during mining operations, the California Regional Water Quality Con-
trol Board estimated discharge at 27,500 cubic feet per day (ft3/day) (143 gpm). Researchers from the
USGS calculated a discharge rate of 18,300 ft3/day (95 gpm) using water level recovery data for the pit after
mining ceased. Other investigations by Humboldt State University and Columbia Geosciences, Inc. have
estimated ground water discharge from the pit at 19.2 ft3/day (0.1 gpm) and 540 - 3,850 ft3/day (2.8 - 20
gpm), respectively. Tracer studies conducted by UC-Davis, evaluating the rate of change in the concentra-
tion of a tracer in the pit over time, have yielded discharge rates ranging from 6.35 x 105 to 1.66 x 106 ft3/day
(3,300 to 8,600 gpm). For the most part, these studies were based on a limited amount of subsurface data
from a variety of sources or surface measurements (pit filling and tracer studies) used as a proxy for subsur-
face discharge. Because the subsurface mercury flux is directly related to ground water discharge, deter-
mining a more accurate estimate of subsurface discharge rates is essential to evaluating mercury loading to
the adjacent ecosystem. One goal of the ongoing USEPA study is to better understand and quantify subsur-
face discharge and mercury transport from the SBMM to Clear Lake.
Methods of Investigation
As part of the comprehensive hydrogeologic investigation at the SBMM, 33 borings, distributed throughout
the site, were advanced using casing driven and reverse circulation drilling techniques. This drilling method
allowed easier penetration of the mine waste and access to the lake sediments and andesite units underly-
ing the mine waste. The monitoring wells were completed in four different geologic units (in stratigraphic
order from upper to lower): mine waste/upper lake sediments, andesite, lower lake sediments, and Franciscan
formation. These monitoring points, in addition to existing shallow monitoring wells, were used during the
investigation. Water level data were collected from the wells during wet and dry periods. Hydraulic tests (an
aquifer test and single-well tests) were conducted on a subset of the well network which included wells in all
190
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of the different geologic horizons. Water quality samples also were collected from each of the wells. Samples
were tested for mercury and a variety of other chemical parameters and constituents.
Results
The water table surface and ground water equipotential maps mimic topography at the site with less vertical
exaggeration. Water level measurements indicate that Herman Pit is a ground water sink. Aground water
divide is located in the northern area of the site between the pit and a wetland area. Ground water flows
towards Herman Pit from the south, the east, and the north (south of the divide) in all geologic units (Franciscan,
lower lake sediments, andesite, and waste rock/upper lake sediments) where the units are present. Water
flows out of Herman Pit through the subsurface to the west towards Clear Lake. North of the divide, ground
water flows in a northerly direction towards a wetland and Clear Lake. Ground water flow directions are
generally the same during wet and dry periods. However, ground water gradients are greatest during dry
periods when the water level of Clear Lake drops faster than the pit water level. Hydraulic gradient data for
the dry and wet periods are presented in Tables 1 and 2. Hydraulic conductivity data for the waste rock/
upper lake sediments, andesite, and lower lake sediments also are provided in Tables 1 and 2. Hydraulic
conductivities (Table 1) are greatest in the waste rock/upper lake sediments (average K = 27.0 feet per day
(ft/day)) and least in the lower lake sediments (average K = 0.86 ft/day). The average conductivity of the
andesite unit is 3.57 ft/day.
Estimates of ground water discharge from Herman Pit to Clear Lake are provided for the dry period (Table 1)
and the wet period (Table 2) monitoring events. Total discharge from Herman Pit, based on average hydrau-
lic conductivity and gradient values, ranges from 4,264 ft3/day (22.2 gpm) during the dry season to 3,133 ft3/
day (16.3 gpm) during the wet season. These calculations indicate that the hydraulic gradient is a greater
influence on ground water discharge than the saturated thickness. The majority of ground water discharge
from Herman Pit (approximately 65% during both wet and dry periods) moves towards Clear Lake through
the waste rock/upper lake sediments unit. Average ground water discharge through the waste rock/upper
lake sediments unit is 2,765 ft3/day during the dry season and 2053 ft3/day during the wet season. The
andesite unit transmits approximately 29-30% of the discharge from Herman Pit (1,264 ft3/day during the dry
period and 920 ft3/day during the dry period). The remaining discharge (approximately 5% of the total
discharge) flows through the lower lake sediments. Upper and lower limits on subsurface discharge also will
be calculated, based on maximum and minimum hydraulic conductivities, to provide constraints on ground
water flow from the pit to the lake.
The average THg concentrations for water samples collected from wells located along the footpath from
Herman Pit to Clear Lake are given in Table 3. The average THg in wells screened in the waste rock/upper
lake sediments (n = 17 wells) was 51.5 ug/L. Total mercury concentrations were below detection limits for
samples collected from wells screened in the andesite (n = 4 wells) and values of one-half of the detection
limit were used to calculate an average THg concentration of 0.07 ug/L. Only one sample from a well
screened in the lower lake sediments was above the detection limit and values of one-half of the detection
limit were used for mercury concentrations in remaining wells. The average THg in wells screened in the
lower lake sediments (n = 4 wells) was 1.03 ug/L. Only one round of water quality sampling has been
conducted and analyzed to date. Estimated mercury fluxes from Herman Pit to Clear Lake for the dry period
(Table 3) and the wet period (Table 4) are based on mercury concentrations from this single sampling event.
Therefore, the difference in the average mercury loading is a function of the discharge associated with the
dry and wet periods (Tables 1 and 2). The estimated THg loading from Herman Pit to Clear Lake via
subsurface transport is 3.24 Ibs/yr (1.47 kg/yr) during the dry period and 2.41 pounds per year (Ibs/yr) (1.10
kg/yr) during the wet period. Over 99% of the mercury flux occurs through the waste rock/upper lake
sediments during both monitoring periods. Minimum and maximum THg concentrations, coupled with mini-
mum and maximum discharge estimates, will be used to evaluate limits on mercury loading for remedial and
regulatory purposes.
Summary and Conclusions
The following summary and conclusions are based on work completed to date:
1. Herman Pit is a hydrologic sink with water flowing towards the pit from the south, east, and north.
Water exits the pit to the west via the subsurface and flows to Clear Lake.
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2. Ground water flow directions generally remain the same during wet and dry periods, however,
hydraulic gradients are greater during dry periods when the difference between water levels in the
pit and the lake are greatest.
3. The waste rock/upper lake sediments unit is the most conductive geologic unit and the lower lake
sediments unit is the least conductive.
4. Ground water discharge from Herman Pit, based on average hydraulic conductivity values, is
greatest during the dry period (4,264 ft3/day) when hydraulic gradients are steeper. Subsurface
discharge during the wet period is estimated at 3,133 ft3/day. Approximately 65% of the subsurface
discharge (during both wet and dry periods) is through the waste rock/upper lake sediments unit.
5. Average THg concentration was greatest in water samples collected from wells screened in the
waste rock/upper lake sediments (Avg. [Hgtot] = 51.5 ug/L).
6. The estimated THg loading from Herman Pit to Clear Lake via subsurface transport is 3.24 Ibs/yr
and 2.41 Ibs/yr during the dry and wet periods, respectively. Over 99% of the mercury flux occurs
through the waste rock/upper lake sediments.
7. Maximum and minimum subsurface discharges and mercury fluxes also will be calculated in order
to establish upper and lower limits for regulatory and remedial purposes.
Table 1 - Estimated sub surf ace discharge from Herman Pit to Clear Lake during dry period
(data collected 9 February 2000; seepage width = 850 ft)
Geologic
Unit
Waste Rock/Upper
Lake Sediments
Ande^ite
Lower Lake
Sediments
Avg. K
(fl/da^
27.0
3.57
0.86
Sat. Thick
(ft)
16.9
55
30
dh/dl
0.0071
0.0076
0.0108
Q
(fWday)
2765
1264
235
Q
(gpJ»)
14.4
6.6
1.2
%
Total Q
64.8
29.6
5.5
ft/day feetperday
Table! - Estimated subsurface discharge from Herman Pit to Clear Lake during wet period
(data collected 25 April 2000; seepagewidth = 850 ft)
Geologic
Unit
Waste Rock/Upper
Lake Sediments
Ande,si|e,
Lower Lake
Sediments
Avg.K
(ft/da^
27.0
3.57
0.86
Sat. Thick
(ft)
20.6
55
30
db/dl
0.0044
0.0055
0.0073
Q
(fWday)
2053
920
160
Q
(gpjxO
10.7
4.8
0.8
%
Total Q
65.5
29.4
5.1
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Table3 - Estimated subsurface mercury flux from Herman Pit to Clear Lake during dry period
Geologic
Unit
Waste Rock/Upper
Lake Sediments
Ande^te,.
Lower Lake
Sediments
Q
(ft^day)
2765
1264
235
Avg. IHgoJ
forfL)
51.5
0.07
1.03
HgFlux
(Ibs/yr)
3.23
0.002
0.005
HgFlux
(kg/F)
1.47
0.0009
0.0025
%TotalHgFlux
99.77
0.06
0.17
Table 4 - E stimated subsurface mercury flux from Herman Pit to Clear L ake during wet p eriod
Geologic
Unit
Waste Rock/Upper
Lake Sediments
Andfsjje,.
Lower Lake
Sediments
Q
(fWday)
2053
920
160
Avg.UJg
6wW
51.5
0.07
1.03
HgFlux
(Ibs/yr)
2.40
0.0015
0.0037
HgFlux
(kg/F)
1.09
0.0007
0.0017
%TotalHgFlux
99.78
0.06
0.15
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The information in this section was developed from the presentations and open discussion at the
workshop and does not necessarily represent the views of EPA.
Section 4
Panel Discussion
4.1 Introduction
The panel was formed to reflect multiple stakeholder interests and the various viewpoints presented in the
technical sessions. Each panelist was given ten minutes to summarize findings and main points of the
technical session in the context of four key questions. An interactive question and answer session with the
audience followed the summary presentations. The following comments reflect the opinions of panel mem-
bers and the audience and are not statements of EPA policy.
Panelists:
Luke Trip, Environment Canada
Glenn Eurick, Barrick Gold Corporation
Jim Rytuba, USGS
Rick Wilkin, EPA, NRMRL
Mae Gustin, UNR
Jeanette Berry, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Ed Hanlon, EPA, ORD HQ
Key questions addressed in each summary:
What are the two or three most important insights you want to convey to the audience regarding the
management of mercury in mining?
What are the two or three most critical/essential efforts that need to be taken to prevent, eliminate,
treat, or dispose of mercury from mining-impacted sources?
Cite two or three data gaps or information needs for the risk management of mercury resulting from
mining activities and impacts.
Prioritize the two or three most important research needs for managing risks associated with mer-
cury in mining.
4.2 Session Summaries
4.2.1 Luke Trip, Environment Canada (Managing Mercury in Mining)
Considering the two or three most important insights to convey regarding the management of mercury in
mining, Mr. Trip emphasized the importance of sharing information among all of the stakeholders with inter-
ests in managing mercury impacts resulting from mining activities, including governments, industry and
other vested decision makers. He noted that mercury is a global pollutant presenting many environmental
uncertainties and complexities and that we all need to do our part to address these issues. The environmen-
tal community needs to recognize that mercury is both a contaminant and a commodity and that developing
countries use mercury to increase their national product (e.g., through precious metal mining and chloralkali
production). Mr. Trip noted that storage and disposal options for recovered mercury need to be examined
further. The environmental community needs to assess the retirement/management options for mercury.
Regarding the two or three most critical/essential efforts that need to be taken to prevent, eliminate, treat or
dispose of mercury from mining-impacted sources, Mr. Trip stated that it is important to obtain the full details
of any mercury stocks, whether they be small, large, national, or privately held. Some of this information will
be collected as part of the new reporting criteria under the TRI of 10 pounds and 5 kilograms (kg) in Canada.
He noted that the environmental community needs to focus on the management of the mercury stocks that
will be generated, and that research is needed to develop technologies that can treat or store mercury.
Although several interim solutions for treating low-level mercury contamination were presented during the
workshop, he noted that no papers were presented on the ultimate solution needed for managing retired
mercury.
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In terms of identifying data gaps or information needs, Mr. Trip noted the need to determine how much
mercury is being produced and stockpiled, and the impact that mercury produced during mining activities
has on the environment and human health.
Regarding research priorities, important focal points are mercury retirement practices/techniques, and man-
aging concentrated sources resulting from industrial activities (e.g., mining chloralkali). In Canada, facili-
tated sedimentation was the management technique for a large former mercury cell chloralkali facility. It was
deemed not practical at this time to excavate and, hence, disturb the mercury. The amount of effort that
should be spent to recover the residual mercury stock in the ground should be examined.
He closed by noting that North America is prepared to take a leadership role in the global management of
mercury. He noted that the United Nations will be proposing a global mercury action plan.
4.2.2 Glenn Eurick, Barrick Gold Corporation (Modern Mining)
Mr. Eurick presented the mining industry representatives' response to EPA's questions. Mr. Eurick requested
that his comments not be included in the written workshop summary.
4.2.3 Jim Rytuba, USGS (Source Identification and Characterization)
According to Mr. Rytuba, some of the principal problems in source identification and characterization involve
quantifying mercury releases, identifying mercury sources, and determining where mercury resides after
such a release. Both Chris Higgens and Ronald Churchill from the Division of Mines and Geology made
presentations during this session, which summarized mercury releases and production in California, includ-
ing the presentation of historic production records and maps detailing landscape changes at mines. These
presentations highlighted the uncertainty in risk characterization regarding where the mercury from past
releases currently resides.
This session also included a presentation by Richard Humphreys of the State Water Resources Control
Board on pilot attempts to recover mercury from amateur mining activities in the Sierra Nevada range.
Although the program recovered approximately 200 pounds of mercury, this material was primarily collected
from elderly residents who had retired into the foothills rather than from the miners themselves. However,
the Board still needs to determine what should be done with the recovered mercury. If the material is sold as
a commodity, it is likely that it will be returned to the environment.
After noting that the United States spends a lot of money developing a strategic metal stockpile, including
mercury, Mr. Rytuba noted that it may be possible to modify the program to purchase and stockpile mercury
recovered as a result of environmental activities and store it with the strategic stockpile. Another possibility
is to store the recovered mercury in former mercury mines (e.g., the McDermott mine in Nevada) since the
formations where the mercury deposits were originally formed are geologically stable and in equilibrium with
the mercury deposits still in the ground. Additionally, some of the mines have already been well character-
ized from an "ore genesis point of view," where information is gathered about the potential for mercury
movement out of these sites.
With respect to some of the more concentrated pockets of mercury encountered at some mines, Mr. Rytuba
noted that Robert Seal's (USGS) presentation on gold mining operations in the Northwest referred to a
number of small ponds on National Park lands. These ponds have relatively high mercury concentrations in
which MeHg comprises between 60% to 80% of the total mercury. Although the environmental community
understands methylation and demethylation rates along with the variables that control these reactions in
various aquatic environments, the methylation and demethylation rates in these hot spots are being con-
trolled by factors that are not fully understood, with the resulting high concentrations posing a probable risk
that is not quite realized.
4.2.4 Rick Wilkin, EPA, NRMRL (Methodology, Speciation, Mobility)
Seven different speakers made presentations during the Methodology, Speciation, and Mobility session,
which addressed mercury fate and transport in aquatic environments. Mr. Wilkin noted that he planned to
respond to the questions developed from EPA by addressing areas where research is needed to fill informa-
tion gaps and by briefly discussing recently completed successful research efforts.
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In the fate and transport session, MeHg was addressed relative to the geochemical factors that govern
mercury methylation and degradation. Although the factors affecting these processes are fairly well known,
Mr. Wilkin noted that a more thorough understanding of these processes may be needed. The effects of pH,
oxidation state, and organocarbon concentrations in the presence of different types of mineral surfaces are
qualitatively understood, but additional information is needed to develop quantitative models to evaluate
methylation and demethylation. This information can also be used to develop remedies at specific sites.
For example, Mr. Wilkin noted that four of the presentations addressed bioavailability. Bulk mercury concen-
trations (measured via aqua regia or aggressive acid extraction) do not necessary equal or correlate to
bioavailable mercury concentrations, since different forms of solid-phase mercury have different solubilities
in water and stomach digestion acids (e.g., cinnabar is relatively insoluble in water and stomach acids;
mercury chlorides and mercury oxides are very soluble in water and stomach acids). Since different forms of
solid-phase mercury are more likely to appear in different types of deposits and in different steps during ore
processing, it is very important to include speciation data in risk assessment studies. Mr. Wilkin noted that a
number of sequential extraction techniques can be used to speciate mercury, and cited two studies from
Geoscience and the University of Nevada on techniques to speciate solid-phase mercury. Stanford Univer-
sity has used x-ray adsorption spectroscopy to independently verify mercury speciation. In general, these
methodologies for mercury speciation demonstrate fairly reasonable agreement, although some uncertain-
ties remain to be resolved.
Mr. Wilkin closed his presentation by remarking on presentations made during the session on mechanisms
for metal incorporation into tissue (i.e., bioaccumulation). During the session, Andy Davis presented a method
for examining the geochemical processes that occur in the stomach and intestinal tract, including rates of
reaction and residence times. This topic generated a lot of discussion and may warrant further investigation
in the future.
4.2.5 Mae Gustin, UNR (Air Emissions and Air Impact Assessment)
Dr. Gustin noted that undisturbed areas that are naturally rich in mercury and have relatively low emissions
contribute far more mercury to the atmosphere than relatively smaller mining areas with higher emissions.
To understand the impacts of mercury emissions, it is important to put these emissions in the context of the
global biogeochemical cycle by understanding all the various sources and sinks. Currently, there is signifi-
cant uncertainty about global anthropogenic emissions, although a lot of research is in progress. As a result,
the environmental community needs to be circumspect when making regulatory decisions.
She noted that the global impacts of elemental mercury emissions from mining may be more important than
originally realized, given the deposition observed in the Arctic. The atmosphere appears to be a major
pathway by which mercury leaves mining sites (e.g., emission estimates for the Sulfur Bank Superfund Site
are six kilograms per year (kg/yr) and one kg/yr into the water). Environmental research and investigation
are needed to determine whether there are many historic emissions where there is no evidence and, if so,
where did the mercury go? She stated that all sites are different and actions for each site must be deter-
mined on a site-by-site basis.
Regarding efforts to prevent the dispersion of mercury, Dr. Gustin noted that fugitive dust controls need to be
implemented because dust increases the surface area for natural mercury emissions into the atmosphere.
Emissions can be reduced in mining areas by using vegetation or by capping waste piles. Cyanide heap
leaching can also be used to pull the mercury through the ore to reduce the mercury concentrations in the
waste. She noted that it is essential to consider that mining sites are in areas of natural enrichment when
assessing impacts. Also, appropriate ways to deal with reclaimed mercury need to be determined.
Dr. Gustin identified a number of data gaps and information needs for the risk management of mercury
resulting from mining activities or impacts. She stressed the importance of determining the species of mer-
cury emitted from mining sites and naturally enriched areas because speciation influences the assessment
of local, regional, and global impacts. For example, mercury(ll) has more of a local or regional impact;
elemental mercury has more of a global impact. To understand the global deposition of mercury, more data
are needed on speciation reactions in the atmosphere. In addition to long- and short-term depletion data,
remote sensing data are needed to scale up emissions from larger areas. She noted that if sources are truly
greater than previously realized, the "missing" sinks (e.g., deposition to soil or deposition to vegetation)
need to be identified.
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Regarding research needs for managing risks associated with mercury in mining, Dr. Gustin noted that
atmospheric speciation needs to be studied to better manage global and local impacts. Inventories on
emissions from active sites (e.g., precious metal and other mines) also need to be developed.
4.2.6 Jeanette Berry, Oak Ridge National Laboratories (Remediation and Treatment)
Jeanette Berry's summary of the remediation and treatment session addressed the following topics: col-
laboration, incentives, standards, and data needs. Ms. Berry noted that the workshop was an excellent
example of collaboration. During the session, mining companies, researchers, vendors, and international
representatives all made presentations on treatment and remediation techniques, in addition to research
needs. She noted that the United States has the incentives, regulatory framework, and economic drivers for
collaboration that many other countries lack.
Ms. Berry noted that the incentives, both economic and regulatory, for controlling mercury emissions need to
be better defined, particularly for non-U.S. countries. Cost-benefit analyses and life-cycle analyses need to
be considered. Standards, including standards for technology treatment targets and for long-term stability
tests (to avoid retreatment) are needed. Pathway analysis, to evaluate the effect of remediation, is also
needed. An active interchange and relationship between the available treatment technologies and the cur-
rent treatment standards similar to the Best Demonstrated Available Technologies (BOAT) should be estab-
lished.
More data are needed on a wide range of techniques and technologies to remediate/control mercury con-
tamination (e.g., pathway analysis) and to control emissions from current mining operations. Since the
National Mining Association and DOE agree that the "future begins with mining," it is important to focus
efforts on reducing/controlling the negative environmental impacts of mining rather than on closing mines.
Ms. Berry noted a need for in situ remediation/mixing techniques, cost effectiveness information, effluent
treatment and control technologies, and mercury speciation data (particularly in complex mixtures with gold,
silver, lead, and zinc).
Currently generated material also needs to be examined. In addition to the composition and corrosiveness
of process residues, additional information is needed on the material's economic value and safe handling
procedures. Treatability studies need to be performed in collaboration with government (DOE, EPA, national
laboratories, etc.), private industries, and universities.
4.2.7 Edward Hanlon, EPA, ORD HQ (Watershed Impairment)
Mr. Hanlon provided additional points made during the Watershed Impairment session, but not presented
during the panel session. These comments are included in this summary of Mr. Hanlon's presentation. Mr.
Hanlon's presentation was organized under the following topics:
Main insights from the various presentations
Key research needs
Summary of research needs in the following categories: 1) measurement, 2) speciation/species, 3)
fate/transport, 4) effects, 5) control of releases, and 6) remediation
Key points made during the watershed session presentations, but not summarized in the wrapup
session, including 1) significant insights regarding the management of mercury in mining and 2)
data/research gaps or information needs for risk management of mercury in mining.
Main Insights from the Various Presentations
Most of the sites and areas discussed in the 11 watershed presentations are located in the western United
States. In general, the vast majority of impacts seen from mercury releases are manifested as elevated
mercury levels in fish. As noted during Charlie Alper's presentation, approximately 1,900 out of the 2,600
fish advisories posted throughout the nation are due to elevated mercury levels in fish. However, significant
uncertainties still exist regarding whether the primary sources of mercury releases have been identified, and
whether elevated mercury levels in fish will ultimately be reduced when remedies have been implemented.
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Key Research Needs, in Order of Priority
According to Mr. Hanlon, procedures need to be developed to identify the best locations to employ remedies
that will improve environmental/fish mercury levels. This research should also focus on answering the fol-
lowing questions: 1) What 'sources' should be remedied (e.g., above-water, point source release areas,
contaminated sediment areas, contaminated marshland areas within the watershed)? 2) How significant are
natural and man-made releases and how can these releases be assessed? and 3) How can uncertainties
be reduced when determining TMDL allocations? Low cost indicator tests that can be used to predict el-
evated MeHg concentrations in edible fish, surface water, and food chain/upper trophic level species are
also needed. It is also important to identify the factors affecting the release of mercury from sediments to
water and the quantitative relationship between total mercury and MeHg in water, invertebrates, and bank/
bottom sediments.
Summary of Research Needs by Category
Mr. Hanlon summarized the following research needs, listed in order of priority under the following catego-
ries: 1) measurement, 2) speciation, species, 3) fate/transport, 4) effects, 5) control of releases, and 6)
remediation.
Measurement
1. Low cost indicator tests that should/can be used to predict elevated MeHg concentrations in edible
fish, surface water, and food chain/upper trophic level species
2. How to use wet deposition traps to assess the influence of precipitation on elevated mercury
concentrations in surface water, particularly in mountain/mining areas (Note: Dry deposition should
also be assessed in this effort.)
3. Whether mercury availability to organisms varies depending on hydrologic conditions (e.g., wet
versus dry periods, impact of tidal influences, aerobic versus anaerobic influences)
4. Compare filtered and unfiltered water samples because such samples have shown significant
differences in mercury concentrations. Several presenters recommended taking unfiltered samples
to help assess the effects of mercury in the environment.
Speciation, Species
1. Factors that affect the quantitative relationship between total mercury and MeHg in water,
invertebrates, and bank/bottom sediments
2. The effect of reducing total mercury levels on MeHg formation (e.g., whether there are resulting
reductions in MeHg formation)
3. Factors that control the methylation/demethylation of mercury (e.g., how does mercury move/change
between forms in the environment?)
4. Mechanisms for the methylation of mercury also need to be better understood. (A few presenters
noted that anaerobic bacteria are responsible for approximately 40% of the production of MeHg, but
it is unclear how the remaining percentage of MeHg in the environment is produced.)
5. Mechanisms by which methylated forms of mercury in the environment get into organisms (plant
and animal). This information is needed to help resolve the fact that high MeHg levels in the
environment do not necessarily coincide with high MeHg in flora/fauna.
Fate/Transport
1. Factors that affect the release of mercury from sediments to surface water, including 1) data on the
specific release, fate, transport factors, mechanisms, and trends that affect these releases, 2)
information on releases from toxic/anoxic areas in lakes, bank and bottom sediments, silts/clays,
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delta areas, and wetlands, and 3) data on what releases and sediment movement occurs during big
storms and highly cyclic rainfall events (i.e., during long periods without rain and during rainstorms)
2. Data and tools to differentiate natural versus human-influenced releases
3. The significance of air deposition and releases to surface water mercury concentrations (Note:
several mass balance efforts (e.g., for TMDL allocations) assumed significant air releases and
impacts to surface water; however, other studies indicated while air deposition occurs, these
releases are not the key or significant sources of contamination. Several speakers indicated that
most air deposition assumptions and analyses were tenuous and potentially specious.)
4. More accurate surveys of world-wide mercury levels, including data on releases and deposition
5. Contaminated sediment deposition trends in streams, lakes, and reservoirs
Effects
1. Data on fish tissue mercury concentrations, including MeHg concentrations in edible fish,
particularly during fish concentration peaks relative to source concentration releases
2. Low-cost indicator tests that could best assess or predict elevated fish tissue concentrations (e.g.,
to predict elevated MeHg concentrations in edible fish, surface water, and food chain/upper trophic
level species)
3. Mean and upper percentile effects to fish, microbes, and invertebrates relative to varying water
concentrations. (Note: this relationship varied significantly in several papers.)
4. Easy-to-apply models and methods to identify local effects of mercury contamination to species of
concern
5. Factors that affect bioavailability in fish (e.g., hydrologic cycling, pH, and the presence of lower
trophic level species)
6. Data that address whether published national effects levels apply at sites and regional/local areas
because site-specific factors greatly influence the effects seen. According to Mr. Hanlon, this
research need was developed in response to the following facts: 1) the 1 ppm FDA level for fish is
significantly different from the 0.3 ppm level found in San Francisco Bay; 2) national sediment water
quality criteria values are very conservative/stringent and may not apply at a local level; 3) the
International Joint Commission's mercury numbers should be reworked, because-for at least one
site-the numbers do not seem to apply; and 4) more thought is needed on whether a national MeHg
number can or should be developed or relied upon (due to the inaccuracies indicated in the
proposed methods and numbers).
7. How long does it take for a system to recover and for mercury levels to drop after a site is remediated?
Control of Releases
1. Methods that identify the best locations to employ remedies that will improve mercury levels in
environment and fish. This research should focus on answering the following questions: 1) What
sources should be remedied (i.e., above-water point source release areas, contaminated sediment
areas, contaminated marshland areas within the watershed)? 2) How significant are natural and
man-made releases and how can these releases be assessed? and 3) How can uncertainties be
reduced when determining TMDL allocations?
2. Methods to ensure that, when remedies are conducted, environment/fish mercury levels will improve
3. Information on the cost-benefit of controlling releases from mining areas, including whether
cleaning up mining source areas would help or is critical to protect the watershed (i.e., Is public
health benefitting by controlling releases?). (This includes cost-benefit analysis of techniques for
best controlling these releases.)
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4. Data on the amount of mercury stored in creeks, delta areas, reservoir/lake sediments, the amount
of mercury moving into organisms and the water column, and the amount of mercury moving/re-
leased into the oceans. The following questions also need to be answered: 1) Is brook sediment
remediation necessary to effect a cleanup? 2) Once mercury from above-water source/release
areas has been reduced, will stream sediments release significant concentrations? and 3) Will stream
sediments decrease in concentration over time and, if so, what controls these releases?
Remediation
1. Methods that identify the best locations to employ remedies that will improve mercury levels in
environment and fish. This research should focus on answering the following questions: 1) What
sources should be remedied (i.e., above-water point source release areas, contaminated sediment
areas, contaminated marshland areas within the watershed)? 2) How significant are natural and
man-made releases and how can these releases be assessed? and 3) How can uncertainties be
reduced when determining TMDL allocations?
2. Monitoring requirements for after remedies have been constructed (e.g., What should be monitored
and for how long? What low-cost, low-operation/maintenance monitoring methods are available?)
3. Data on whether wetlands are a remedy for mercury contamination. This includes wetlands
management strategies for mercury management and triage pointers/consensus on which
strategies will work for managing wetlands contaminated with mercury. (Note: Wetlands trap
mercury, but methylation rates are significant.)
4. Factors that promote demethylation in the environment
4.3 Panel and Audience Discussion
Glenn Miller (University of Nevada) commented that retiring mercury is a controversial issue. In addition to
the need for substitutes to meet worldwide demands for mercury, a number of issues need to be resolved
before stockpiling should proceed (e.g., Who will be responsible for stockpiling the mercury? How will the
stockpiles be accumulated and managed on an international basis?). Luke Trip responded that, based on
research performed in support of the NARAP, the current mercury stockpile in North America is sufficient to
supply all foreseeable needs in the near future. Furthermore, if more mercury is needed, enough is pro-
duced as a byproduct from gold and zinc mining that mercury mining should never be needed. Mr. Trip
noted that there are no self-sufficient mercury mines in the world; all are subsidized by national governments
to keep the price of mercury down. Mr. Trip believes that international mercury requirements can be met
without having to mine new mercury.
Arnold Kuzmack (EPA, OW) agreed with Mr. Trip. He noted that some mercury uses are essential and even
environmentally beneficial (e.g., use in flourescent lights). In some situations, mercury is cheaper than the
alternatives (e.g., mercury in dental amalgams). After mentioning that these uses can probably be met with
current stockpile/byproduct production, Mr. Kuzmack noted that large amounts of mercury are still being
shipped to mining activities in South America and elsewhere; this mercury is ultimately released to the
environment. He concluded that long-term storage and immobilization technologies followed by long-term
isolation (as practiced in Sweden and by the U.S. nuclear waste storage program) can be considered for
mercury retirement.
Jolaine Johnson (Nevada DEP) encouraged EPA panel members to address additional mercury research
needs, including remedial technology development, along with EPA's current approach to prioritizing these
research needs. Jon Herrmann (EPA, NRMRL) replied that EPA's Mercury Research Strategy (MRS) will be
released by the end of calendar year 2000. This research strategy focuses on emissions from coal-fired
utilities and noncombustion sources including mining. These two areas are the bulk of the risk management
component of the strategy. A small component addresses research on risk communication. From a research
perspective, the strategy targets those research areas that are most important to EPA program offices.
Steve Lindberg (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) commented that almost all industrial uses of mercury have
alternatives; theoretically, mercury could be phased-out. He questioned whether containerizing and return-
ing it to former mercury-containing formations is a viable approach to mercury storage/control from a
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geological perspective. Jim Rytuba replied that mercury deposits have been in place for 15 to 30 million
years, and that it may be beneficial to identify classes of mercury deposits that are particularly stable envi-
ronments (e.g., open pit mines with partially removed ore and a perimeter of undisturbed host rocks that
buffer transport).
Jeanette Berry commented that, from a chemical engineering perspective, she found it interesting that Mr.
Kuzmack recommended developing a mercury storage program similar to the program used to store high-
level and low-level nuclear waste. She surmised that, due to difficulties associated with radioactive waste,
geologically stable procedures and methodologies will be needed to accomplish mercury storage (e.g.,
leach criterion identification, pathway analysis, and geologic formation analysis). Since mercury amalgam-
ation can satisfactorily meet land disposal criteria, this may be a more logical alternative. Ms. Berry sup-
ported purchasing mercury to remove it from the market. She noted that it is important to consider the
relationship between economic and regulatory incentives.
Luke Trip commented on regulatory challenges by citing the difficulties associated with the shutdown of a
large mercury cell chloralkali facility in Maine. This facility had 26,000 pounds of mercury encased in steel
cylinders, ready to be sold to India. Although there was an initiative in place to prevent the release of the
mercury to the open market, the parties involved could not decide who would be responsible for receiving/
storing the mercury, whether the mercury could be stored in any of the nearby states, and whether those
states would allow the mercury to cross state borders. Mr. Trip finds this situation particularly interesting
from a policy perspective since the New England Governors and the Eastern Canadian Premiers have
developed a very robust mercury action plan with very stringent regulations on incinerator waste and utili-
ties. Mr. Trip questioned why a group that is so committed to controlling mercury emissions to very low levels
is not capable or willing to develop reasonable solutions for storing large volumes of mercury. After noting
that this situation highlights some of the problems that will be faced when developing a mercury retirement
program, long-term sequestering of mercury in abandoned mine sites is the best way to store large volumes
of mercury. When asked whether storage and transport issues are a major discussion point during United
Nations or regional discussions on mercury, Mr. Trip responded by saying that he expects the discussions to
focus on who will be responsible for funding stockpile storage efforts and where the stockpiles will be lo-
cated.
Bill Fitzgerald (University of Connecticut) commented that the environmental community does not really
know whether mercury is increasing or decreasing in the global environment, despite remediation efforts
that have occurred in a number of countries. Mr. Fitzgerald asked participants to consider setting up sites in
areas free of background influences to look at atmospheric changes in mercury by evaluating gas-phase
atmospheric effects or impacts over a three- to five-year interval (similar to studies being done for green-
house gases). The results of this study could be used to evaluate the global effectiveness of remediation
efforts and could also provide information on the residence time of mercury. This information could be used
to restrain models and to directly assess the effects of global, regional, and local remediation efforts.
Dave Jones (EPA Region 9) commented that during the presentation on the Sulfur Bank mine, one speaker
noted that only 40% of the bioavailable mercury was produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria. After comment-
ing that a large number of the presentations also focused on this one mechanism, Mr. Jones asked ORD
and others to provide additional information on other methods by which bioavailable mercury is produced.
Mr. Kuzmack noted that the alternative pathways for producing bioavailable mercury involve the use of other
bacteria and that the basic pathway is essentially the same. Some nonbacterial mechanisms also produce
bioavailable mercury.
Mr. Kuzmack commented that EPA is considering placing a mercury monitoring site on a mountain in Ha-
waii, as per Mr. Fitzgerald's recommendation. When asked how long the monitoring effort would need to be
in place to see a response, Mr. Fitzgerald responded that it would probably take three to five years to see
potential confirmatory evidence and that the study would need to be done very carefully. When someone
commented that the site location should be reconsidered since Kilauea is located next to the proposed
monitoring site and submits a substantial ore deposit over time, Mr. Herrmann replied that the study organiz-
ers recognized the possible influences from Kilauea and were able to account for this situation.
Mae Gustin cautioned that long-term monitoring may not provide confirmatory verification because the envi-
ronmental community still does not have enough information about atmospheric reactions and long-term
cycling. Because mercury may be cycling constantly through the atmosphere, long-term monitoring efforts
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may not provide the information needed to evaluate the impacts of remediation efforts. A number of uncer-
tainties are associated with atmospheric reactions and a number of unknown reactions may be occurring
that can pull the mercury out of the atmosphere (into sinks). Although it is a good idea to conduct monitoring,
it is also important to recognize the uncertainties beforehand.
Mr. Fitzgerald responded that the oceans cover 70% of the earth and that measurements previously made
over the ocean show very little standard deviation in terms of total gaseous mercury (e.g., less than 5% to
10%). This suggests that the residence time of mercury is relatively long and rapid cycling may not be
occurring. Consequently, the proposed strategy for sampling over the ocean should proceed with caution
biasing whether mercury is increasing or decreasing in the environment.
Referring to the discussion on the residence time of mercury in the atmosphere and the total mercury
burden in the atmosphere over time, Russ Bullock (EPA, ORD) commented that the mercury burden can be
reduced quickly by an oxidizing atmosphere, although these reductions could be occurring because of other
pollution sources (e.g., photochemical smog).
Lynn Brickett (DOE, National Energy Technology Laboratory) commented on remediation efforts underway
at a chloralkali plant exhibiting relatively stable mercury sulfide sediment contamination. Ms. Brickett asked
EPA to comment upon whether it anticipates changes in its regulatory outlook for remediation as more
information is obtained on how to measure mercury. After mentioning that ORD does not make policy, Mr.
Herrmann noted that, as EPA obtains a better understanding of mercury speciation, solutions to these prob-
lems should reflect this improved understanding. Since cost-effective solutions are a necessity, digging up
stable mercury contamination sites may be the least desirable option from a scientific perspective.
Clark Smith, a geochemistry consultant from Reno, suggested that the workshop could have benefitted from
a marine geology/geochemistry perspective. The midoceanic regions are spewing sulfur- and mercury-
laden gases into the ocean and further studies on these occurrences could be beneficial.
Amy Anderson (Klean Earth Environmental) noted that, although there is a plethora of information pertaining
to long-term stability tests, there are no standard test procedures and protocols. Ms. Anderson asked if EPA
is planning to develop a standard testing protocol for long-term stability, which could be provided to univer-
sities and vendors. Diana Bless (EPA, NRMRL) responded that this problem had been considered and that
EPA was unable to identify an appropriate long-term stability test. She recommended that EPA consider
developing such a testing protocol.
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Section 5
Conclusions
5.1 Key Points
The following insights regarding the management of mercury in mining were developed by Ed Hanlon (EPA,
ORD HQ) after the workshop.
1. There are no simple ways to predict distribution, fate, and transport of mercury from a source area
to a deposition area.
2. The State of Nevada is the 5th largest producer of gold in the world.
3. The most significant atmospheric mercury releases in 1998 were from mining ore processing facilities.
4. 'Hot spots' of elevated concentrations of mercury in the environment are significant sources of
mercury contamination in fish.
5. Of the approximately 26 million pounds of mercury 'unaccounted for' in mining areas of the Sierra
Nevada range, approximately three to eight million pounds are associated with hydraulic mining
activities.
6. Many 'recreational miners' looking for gold wade in highly contaminated trenches and streams. This
population of human receptors frequently stirs up sediments and releases mercury 'stored' in the
streams, and may receive the highest exposure to mercury contamination of any human population.
7. The presence of iron 'floe' frequently leads to demethylation of mercury.
8. The USGS developed a special field method for collecting samples for elemental mercury analysis
(to prevent labs from rejecting the samples). More information on this method can be obtained from
Charlie Alpers.
9. Approximately 80 percent of the rainfall in California flows into the San Francisco Bay, making it a
well-flushed system. The major sources of mercury contamination in San Francisco Bay are mining
releases and atmospheric deposition.
10. The highest levels of methylmercury in sediments were found in the upper centimeter of a sediment
core in delta and wetland areas (Dyan White's research).
11. Thermal and hydraulic currents in lakes and reservoirs have been shown to cause mercury
contaminated sediment particles to settle near the shoreline areas.
12. Mercury levels mirrored copper water/sediment concentration levels on a 1:1 basis in water bodies.
13. Mercury is frequently found as a natural amalgam in silver deposits.
14. In the Sierra Nevada range, there has been a large increase in mercury concentrations in lakes and
fish over the latter half of the last century, due to global air deposition (see Darrell Slotton's paper).
15. In the Sierra Nevada range, certain invertebrates, insects, and amphibians should be used as
indicators to identify areas with elevated fish mercury levels (see Darrell Slotton's paper).
16. In the Sierra Nevada range, reservoirs are sinks for mercury and not much mercury is released from
reservoirs (see Darrell Slotton's paper).
17. In coastal areas, wetlands are a perfect habitat for 'mercury migrating microbes' (see Darrell Slotton's
paper).
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18. Remediating mining site releases will reduce elevated levels of mercury bioaccumulation in both the
Sierra Nevada range and in coastal areas (see Darrell Slotton's paper).
5.2 Data Gaps and Research Needs
The following research needs were developed based on information presented during the closing panel
discussion:
1. Mercury retirement practices and techniques need to be investigated. This includes developing a
retirement and management plan for mercury recovered from industry, commodity market and
remediation efforts.
2. Research is needed to better understand the geochemical and biochemical processes that control
mercury methylation and degradation. Some of this data will be derived from pH effects, oxidation
state, and organocarbon concentrations associated with various types of mineral surfaces.
3. Further investigation of the factors controlling methylation/demethylation rates in high mercury
concentration locations.
4. More research is needed to determine how mercury bioaccumulates in tissues (e.g., biochemical
processes that occur in the stomach and intestinal tract).
5. Atmospheric speciation research is needed to better understand global and local deposition and
resulting adverse impacts (e.g., missing sinks).
6. Evaluate technologies for the purpose of remediating contaminated mining sites as well as
controlling emissions from current mining operations (gold, silver, lead, and zinc mining).
7. Develop low cost indicator tests that can be used to predict elevated methylmercury concentrations
in fish, surface waters and upper trophic level food chain.
8. Determination of the factors that affect the release of mercury from sediments to surface water.
204
-------
Bibliography
Federal Register. (1998) A Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT)
Pollutants; Notice of Availability and Solicitation of Public Comments. Vol. 63, No. 221: 63926-
63928, November 17, 1998.
Mason, P.P., W.F. Fitzgerald, and F.M.M. Morel. (1994) "The Biogeochemical Cycling of Elemental Mercury:
Anthropogenic Influences." Geochimica et CosmochimicaActa, Vol. 58, No. 15, pp. 3191-3198.
NRC. (2000) lexicological Effects of Methylmercury. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Sznopek, J.L., andT.G. Goonan. (2000) The Material Flow of Mercury in the Economics of the United States
and the World. U.S. Department of the Interior, USGS. Open-File Report 00-281. (Denver, CO:
USGS).
EPA. (1997) Mercury Study Report to Congress (Volumes I - VIII). Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards and Office of Research and Development. EPA-452/R-97-003 through EPA-452/R-97-
010. December 1997. Washington, DC: EPA. Available: http://www.epa.gov/oar/mercury.html.
EPA. (2000) USEPA Strategic Plan. Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Washington, DC: EPA. Available:
http://www.epa.gov/ocfopage/plan/draftplan.htm.
205
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Appendix A
Agenda
A-1
-------
Assessing and Managing Mercury From
Historic and Current Mining Activities
Sponsored by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
November 28 - 30, 2000
Cathedral Hill Hotel
San Francisco, California
DAY 1 - Tuesday, November 28, 2000
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM - Registration & Name Badge Pickup
8:30 AM - 8:40 AM - Greetings & Opening Remarks - Diana Bless, EPA ORD
Plenary Session
Session Chair: Jon Herrmann, EPA
8:40 AM -9:00 AM
9:00 AM -9:20 AM
9:20 AM -9:40 AM
9:40 AM -10:00 AM
10:00 AM -10:1 5 AM
10:1 5 AM -10:30 AM
EPA Developing a Strategy on Mercury Research - Jon Herrmann, EPA
Mercury Management on a North American Scale - Luke Trip, Environment
Canada
Regional Office Perspective - David Jones, EPA Region 9
Mercury Emissions from Nevada Mining Operations: The State Environmental
Agency Perspective - Jolaine Johnson, Nevada Division of Environmental
Protection
USGS Perspective - Kate Johnson, US Geological Survey
BREAK
10:30 AM- 10:50 AM
10:50 AM- 11:35 AM
11:35 AM- 12:OOPM
12:OOPM-1:30PM
County Role in Mercury Assessment and Clean-up - Elizabeth Martin and
Shawn Garvey, South Yuba River Citizens League
The Management of Mercury in the Modern Mining Industry - Glenn Eurick,
Barrick Gold Corporation and Dirk van Zyl, UNR
Questions and Answers
LUNCH
Session
Moderators
Modern Mining
Glenn Eurick, Barrick Gold Corporation
and Paul Scheidig, Nevada Mining
Association
Source Identification /
Characterization
Jim Rytuba, US Geological Survey
and Bill Stelz, EPA
1:30PM-2:OOPM
Sources of Mercury from Mineral
Deposits - James Rytuba,
US Geological Survey
Contributions of Mercury to California's
Environment from Mercury
and Gold Mining Activities-
Insights from the Historical Record -
Ronald Churchill, Division of Mines and
Geology
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
An Inventory of Mercury from Gold
Mining - Kumar Ganesan, Montana
Tech of the University of Montana
Importance of Research of Historic
Information on Mines in California
that Used or Produced Mercury
- Chris Higgins, Division of Mines and
Geology
A-2
-------
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
The Problem of Mercury Contamination
in Gold-Mining Areas of Russia -
Tatyana Laperdina, Chita Institute of
Natural Resources
BREAK
Coal Cleaning as a Tool for Controlling
Mercury Emissions from Coal
Combustion - Michael ' Nowak, National
Energy Technology Laboratory
Mercury Emissions from Induration of
Taconite Concentrate Pellets - Stack
Testing Results from Facilities in
Minnesota - Hongming Jiang, Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency
Mining Induced Emissions of Sediment
and Mercury in Amazonia, 1970-2000,
Determined from the Ground and from
Space - Kevin Telmer, University of
Victoria
Mercury Associated with Lode Gold
Mining in the Sierra Nevada Region, CA
- Roger Ashley, US Geological Survey
Mercury Recycling Pilot Project (MRPP)
- Richard Humphreys, State Water
Resources Control Board
Historic Gold Mining, Mercury
Amalgamation, and Potential for
Environmental Impacts in the Eastern
United States - Robert Seal, US
Geological Survey
Characterizing Mercury in the Comstock
Lode: Macro to Micro Techniques
- Patrick Ritter; Ecology and
Environment, Inc.
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Poster Session / Reception [Cash Bar]
DAY 2 - Wednesday, November 29, 2000
Session
Moderators
8:00 AM -8:30 AM
8:30 AM -9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
9:30 AM- 10:00 AM
10:00 AM -10:20 AM
10:20 AM -10:50 AM
Methodology / Speciation / Mobility
Rick Wilkin, EPA
Microbial Mercury Cycling in Sediments
Associated with Mining Activity in
California - Mark Marvin-DiPasquale,
US Geological Survey
Uncertainty Analysis of the Carson
River Mercury Transport Model
- Rosemary Carroll, Desert Research
Institute
Assessing the Mobility of Mercury in
Mine Waste - Chris Sladek, Department
of Geological Science
Application of Selective Extractions to
the Determination of Mercury Speciation
in Mine Tailings and Adjacent Soils
- Nicolas Bloom, Frontier Geosciences
Inc.
BREAK
Speciation of Natural Mercury-bearing
Materials Using X-ray Absorption
Spectroscopy - Christopher Kim,
Stanford University
Watershed Impairment - Defining
Magnitude and Boundaries
EdHanlon, EPA
The Carson River Mercury (Superfund)
Site - Wayne Praskins, EPA Region 9
Mercury in the Carson River System,
Nevada and California, 1 998
- Karen Thomas, US Geological Survey
Distribution of Sediment Mercury
Concentrations in the Humboldt River
Watershed - Robert Hall, EPA
Mercury Contamination in Waters
Associated with Historic Gold Mining
in the Bear River and South Yuba
River Watersheds, CA - Charles Alpers,
US Geological Survey
Linking Sources to Violations: The
Mercury Legacy of the New Almaden,
California Mining District - Khalil
Abu-Saba, San Francisco Bay Regional
Water Quality Control Board
A-3
-------
10:50 AM -11:20 AM
11:20AM-11:50PM
11:50 PM- 1:10 PM
Environmental Reactions of Mercury
Cyanide - Glenn Miller, University of
Nevada
The Effect of Arcane Geochemical
Phenomena on Mercury
Bioavailability - Andy Davis,
Geomega, Inc.
LUNCH
The Impact of Mercury Mining on
Tomales Bay Biota - Dyan Whyte,
California Regional Water Quality
Control Board, San Francisco Bay
Reaion
Mercury in Native Metal Deposits:
"Focusing Troughs" Reveal an
Unexpected Source to Lake Superior
Sediments- Charles Kerfoot, Michigan
Technological University
Session
Moderators
1:10PM-1:40PM
1:40 PM- 2:10 PM
2:10 PM- 2:40 PM
2:40 PM- 3:1 0PM
3:10 PM- 3:40 PM
Air Emissions/ Air Impact
Assessment
Scott Hedges, EPA
Uncertainties in Mass Balance of
U.S. Atmospheric Mercury Emissions
- Leonard Levin, Electric Power
Research Institute
The History of Mercury Emissions
from the New Almaden Mines,
Santa Clara County, California
- Michael Cox, New Almaden
Quicksilver County Park Association
Atmospheric Mercury Emissions from
Mine Waste - Mae Gust in, UNR
The Importance of Emissions
Speciation to the Atmospheric
Transport and Deposition of Mercury
-O. Russell Bullock, NOAAAir
Resources Laboratory
BREAK
Watershed Impairment - Developing
Management Tools and Priorities
Ed 'Han/on, EPA
Mercury Contamination in Wetlands of
Lahontan Valley, Nevada - Peter Tuttle,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Downstream Indicators of Mining
-Related Mercury Exposure: Findings
from the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta and Its Tributaries - Dare//
Slotton, University of California
Biological Indicators of Mercury
Contamination from Historic Gold
Mining in the Bear River and Yuba
River Watersheds, California - Roger
Hothem, US Geological Survey
Controls on Mercury Availability and
Uptake in Fish: Arizona Lake
TMDLs - John Hillenbrand, EPA
Session
Moderators
Air Emissions / Air Impact
Assessment (Continued)
Scott Hedges, EPA
Remediation and Treatment
Paul Randall, EPA
3:40 PM-4:10 PM
Atmospheric Mercury Fluxes as
Recorded in Lake Sediments: The
Lack of a Historic Global Signal from
Au and Ag Mining - William Fitzgerald,
University of Connecticut
Reducing Mercury Production at Bald
Mountain Mine - Jim Wickens,
Barrick Gold Corporation
4:10PM-4:40 PM
Estimation of Mercury Vapor Flux from
Natural Geologic Sources in Nevada
- Richard Zehner, University of Nevada
Assessment and Remediation of the
Mother Lode Mine, Crook County,
Oregon - N. Toby Scott, State of
Oregon DEQ
A-4
-------
4:40 PM-5:10PM
Mercury Emission and Re-Emission
from Diffuse Area Sources: The
Dilemma of Small Emissions from Large
Surfaces, the "Inert" Nature of
Elemental Mercury Vapor, and
Missing Sinks in the Global Mercury
Cycle - Steve Lindberg, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory
The Pollution of Mercury in the
Mercury Mining Area and Reclamation
- Yuhuan Lin, Research Center for
Eco-Environmental Sciences,
ChineseAcademy
5:10 PM - 6:30 PM Poster Session / Reception [Cash Bar]
DAY 3 - Thursday, November 30, 2000
Session
Moderators
9:00 AM -9:30 AM
9:30 AM -10:00 AM
10:00 AM -10:30 AM
10:30 AM- 10:45 AM
10:45 AM -11:15 AM
11:15 AM- 11:45 PM
11:45 AM- 12:15 PM
Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine
Ed Bates, EPA and David Jewett, EPA
Unique Factors Effecting Site
Characterization and Remedy
Selection at the Sulphur Bank Mercury
Mine Superfund Site, Lake County, CA
- Ellen Manges, EPA
An Evaluation of Remote Sensing
Tools for Hydrological Investigations
- Richard ' Ham mack, DOE
The Active Hydrothermal System and
Mercury Flux at Sulphur Bank Mine,
California - FraserGoff, Los Alamos
National Laboratory
BREAK
Recent Geochemical Sampling and
Mercury Sources at Sulphur Bank
Mercury Mine, Lake County, CA
- Gregory Re Her, Tetra Tech EM, Inc.
Mercury Contamination in Clear Lake,
California: Influence of Acid Mine
Drainage on Methylmercury Production
from the Abandoned Sulphur Bank
Mercury Mine - Thomas Suchanek,
University of CA & U.C. Davis- Clear
Lake Env. Research Center
Bounds on Subsurface Mercury Flux
from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine,
Lake County, CA - David Jewett, EPA
Remediation and Treatment
(Continued)
Paul Randall, EPA
Historic Unreclaimed Mercury Mines
in Asturias (Northwestern Spain):
Environmental Approaches - Jorge
Loredo, Universidad de Oviedo:
Escuela de Minas
The Use of Silica Micro Encapsulation
for the Control of Mercury
- Amy Anderson, KEECO
Potential Economic Benefits from
Innovative Mercury Separation
Technology - Jeanette Berry, Oak
Ridge National Laboratory
Removal of Hg from Contaminated
Water Using Alkali Fly Ash Permeable
Reactive Barrier (AFA-PRB) Material
-ShahriarJahanian, Temple University
Remediation and Legal Case Histories
of the Buena Vista and Klau Mines,
Two Mercury Mines in the Las Tablas
Creek Watershed, San Luis Obispo
County - Gerhardt Hubner, Central
Coast Regional Water Quality Control
Board
Metallurgical Pretreatment for Mercury
Removal by Alkaline Sulfide Leaching
- Suzann Nordwick, MSE Technology
Applications, Inc.
12:15 PM-1:30 PM Lunch
1:30PM-3:OOPM
4:00 PM
Panel Discussion and Wrap-Up
Moderator: Douglas Grosse, EPA
Depart for Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Field Trip
A-5
-------
Appendix B
List of Attendees
B-1
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Khalil Elias Abu-Saba
Phone: 510-622-2382
Fax: 510-622-2460
E-mail: abu@rb2.swrcb.ca.gov
Meei-Lih Ahmad
Phone: 415-648-6882 ext. 1216
Fax: 415-282-5280
E-mail: mahmad@puc.sf.ca.us
Mike Alcorn
Phone: 907-267-1442
Fax: 907-267-1304
E-mail: rnalcorn@ak.blm.gov
Rod Allan
Phone: 905-336-4678
Fax: 905-336-4420
E-mail: rod.allan@ec.gc.ca
Charlie N. Alpers, Ph.D.
Phone: 916-278-3134
Fax: 916-278-3013
E-mail: cnalpers@usgs.gov
Amy Anderson
Phone: 425-778-7165
Fax: 425-778-7564
E-mail: aanderson@keeco.com
Steve Anderson
Phone: 406-496-4409
Fax: 406-496-4116
E-mail: sanderson@mtech.edu
Susan Anderson
Phone: 707-875-2048
Fax: 707-875-2009
E-mail: susanderson@ucdavis.edu
Richard J. Angell
Phone: 801-536-6754
Fax: 801-536-6111
E-mail: rangell@pblutah.com
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control
Board
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400
Oakland CA 94612 USA
City & County of San Francisco
750 Phelps Street
San Francisco CA 94124 USA
BLM
6881 Abbott Loop Rd.
Anchorage AK 99507 USA
Environment Canada
CCIW, P.O. Box 5050
Burlington Ontario
L7R-4A6 Canada
USGS
6000 J Street, Placer Hall
Sacramento CA 95819-6129 USA
Klean Earth Environmental Company (KEECO)
19023 36th Ave. West, Suite E
Lynnwood WA 98036 USA
Montana Tech of The University of Montana
1300 West Park Street
Butte MT 59701 USA
Bodega Marine Laboratory
P.O. Box 247
Bodega Bay CA 94923
USA
Parsons Behle & Latimer
P.O. Box 45898
Salt Lake City UT 84145-0898 USA
B-2
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Roger P. Ashley
Phone: 650-329-5416
Fax: 650-329-5491
E-mail: ashley@usgs.gov
Elizabeth A. Bailey
Phone: 907-786-7442
Fax: 907-786-7401
E-mail: eabailey@usgs.gov
Randy Baker
Phone: 604-986-4331
Fax: 604-662-8548
E-mail: rbaker@evsenvironment.com
Andy Bale
Phone: 530-753-6400 x30
Fax: 530-753-7030
E-mail: andyb@lwadavis.com
Edward Bates
Phone: 513-569-7774
Fax: 513-569-7676
E-mail: bates.edward@epa.gov
James Bateson
Phone: 919-733-2801
Fax: 919-733-4811
E-mail: james.bateson@ncmail.net
Diana Bauer
Phone: 202-564-6932
Fax: 202-565-2446
E-mail: bauer.diana@epa.gov
Jan Baxter
Phone: 415-744-1064
Fax: 415-744-1678
E-mail: baxter.jan@epa.gov
USGS
Mailstop 901, 345 Middlefield Road
MenloPark CA 94025 USA
US Geological Survey
4200 University Drive
Anchorage AK 99508 USA
EVS Environment Consultants
195 Pemberton Ave.
North Vancouver BC
V7P 2R4 Canada
Andy Bale Associates
509 4th St.
Davis CA 95616 USA
EPA
MS 489, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
Superfund Section, North Carolina Division of
Waste Mgmt
401 Oberlin Road, Suit 150
Raleigh NC 27699-1646 USA
EPA/ ORD/ NCER
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW8722R
Washington DC 20460 USA
EPA - Region 9
75 Hawthorne St., PMD-1
San Francisco CA 94105-3901
USA
B-3
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Joe Beall
Phone: 707-431-6121
Fax: 707-431-6148
E-mail: joe@calpine.com
Jody Benesch
Phone: 775-784-4966
Fax: 775-784-4789
E-mail: yodee@scs.unr.edu
Karen C. Bennott
Phone: 202-463-3240
Fax: 202-463-3257
E-mail: kbennett@nma.org
Jeanette B. Berry
Phone: 865-241-1939
Fax: 865-574-5788
E-mail: berryjb@ornl.gov
Ozdemir Beyce
Phone: 650-325-7167
Fax: 650-325-7167
E-mail: obeyce@earthlink.net
Ned Black
Phone: 415-744-2354
Fax: 415-744-1916
E-mail: black.ned@epa.gov
Diana Bless
Phone: 513-569-7674
Fax: 513-569-7471
E-mail: bless.diana@epa.gov
Nicolas S. Bloom
Phone: 206-622-6960
Fax: 206-622-6870
E-mail: nicolasB@frontier.wa.com
Jeff Bold
Phone: 916-565-4211
Fax: 916-569-3258
E-mail: jeffrey.bold@mw.com
Calpine Corp
10350 Socrates Mine Rd.
Middletown CA 95461
USA
University of Nevado - Reno
MS 370, Fleischmann Ag. Rm 130
Reno NV 89557 USA
National Mining Association
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington DC 20036
USA
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008
Oak Ridge TN 37831-6200 USA
Consultant-Soil Science
1351 American Way
MenloPark CA 94025 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street, SFD 8B
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
EPAORDNRMRL
MS 445, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
Frontier Geosciences Inc.
414 Pontius North, Suite B
Seattle WA 98103
USA
Montgomery Watson
777 Campus Commons Suite 250
Sacramento CA 95825 USA
B-4
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Lynn A. Brickett
Phone: 412-386-6574
Fax: 412-386-4579
E-mail: brickett@netl.doe.gov
Clifton H. Brown, Jr.
Phone: 303-792-5615
Fax: 303-792-5633
E-mail: cliff.brown@adatech.com
Gordon E. Brown, Jr.
Phone: 650-723-9168
Fax: 650-725-2199
E-mail: gordon@pangea.stanford.edu
Adam Browning
Phone: 415-744-1121
Fax: 415-744-1073
E-mail: browning.adam@epa.gov
O. Russell Bullock, Jr.
Phone: 919-541-1349
Fax: 919-541-1379
E-mail: bro@hpcc.epa.gov
Karl E. Burgher
Phone: 406-496-4410
Fax: 406-496-4116
E-mail: kburgher@mtech.edu
Douglas Cameron
Phone: 406-496-4247
Fax: 406-496-4135
E-mail: dcameron@mtech.edu
Hugh Cann
Phone: 703-461-2393
Fax: 703-461-2020
E-mail: cannh@dyncorp.com
Philip D. Carpenter, Ph.D.
Phone: 831-724-4522
Fax: 831-724-3188
E-mail: pcarpenter@toxscan.com
US. DOE (National Energy Technology Laboratory)
147 Cedarcove Street
Pittsburgh PA 15227 USA
ADA Technologies, Inc.
8100 Shaffer Pkwy, Suite 130
Littleton CO 80127 USA
Stanford University
Department of Geological & Environmental
Sciences
Stanford CA 94305-2115 USA
EPA Region 9
CMD-4-2, 75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
NOAA Air Resources Laboratory
EPA, NERL, Mail Drop 80
RTP NC 27711 USA
Montana Tech of The University of Montana
1300 West Park Street
Butte MT 59701 USA
Montana Tech of the University of Montana
1300 West Park St
Butte MT 59701 USA
DynCorp I&ET, Inc.
6101 Stevenson Ave.
Alexandria VA 22304
USA
ToxScan Inc.
42 Hangar Way
Watsonville CA
95076-2404 USA
B-5
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Rosemary W.H. Carroll
Phone: 775-673-7416
Fax: 775-673-7363
E-mail: rosemary@equinox.unr.edu
James T. Carter
Phone: 513-752-8988
Fax: 513-752-8811
E-mail: jam@vectorgroupinc.com
Jose Castro
Phone: (52) 56 24 34 23
Fax: (52) 56 23 35 95
E-mail: jdcastro@ine.gob.mx
Dr. Shamil Cathum
Phone: 613-990-6879
Fax: 613-991-1673
E-mail: shamil.cathum@saic.com
Nick Ceto
Phone: 206-553-1816
Fax: 206-553-0124
E-mail: ceto.nicholas@epa.gov
Mark Chalfant
Phone: 415-744-3011
Fax: 415-744-3170
E-mail: mark.chalfant@usda.gov
Bob Charbonneau
Phone: 510-987-9594
Fax: 510-987-0752
E-mail: robert.charbonneau@ucop.edu
Guy Chetelat
Phone: 530-224-4997
Fax: 530-224-4857
E-mail: chetelg@swrcb.ca.gov
Susan Chiang
Phone: 415-252-0822
Fax: 415-252-0823
E-mail: suz@greenaction.org
Desert Research Institute
Division of Hydrologic Sciences,
2215 Raggio Parkway
Reno
NV 89512
Vector Group, Inc.
1118 Ferris Road
Amelia OH
45102
USA
USA
Institute Nacional De Ecologia
Av. Revolucion 1424 nivel 12
Mexico City 01040
SAIC Canada
3439 River Road
Ottawa Ontario
K1AOH3 Canada
Mexico
EPA Reg ion 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle WA
98101
USA
Department of Agriculture—Office of the
General Counsel
33 New Montgomery Street, 17th Floor
San Francisco CA 94105-4511 USA
Univ of California Environmental Protection
Services
1111 Franklin St. 6th floor
Oakland CA 94607 USA
CRWQCB
415 Knollcrest Drive, Suite 100
Redding CA 96002 USA
Greenaction
1095 Market Street, Suite 608
San Francisco CA 94103 USA
B-6
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Ronald K. Churchill, Ph.D.
Phone: 916-327-0745
Fax: 916-324-1396
E-mail: rchurch@consrv.ca.gov
Janine Clayton
Phone: 707-562-8968
Fax: 707-562-9049
E-mail: jclaytonOI ©fs.fed.us
Cheryl Colopy
Phone: 415-553-2365
Fax:
E-mail: ccolopy@kqed.org
J. Conaghan
Phone: 415-929-7822
Fax: 415-668-7473
E-mail:
Christopher Conaway
Phone: 831-459-2088
Fax:
E-mail: conaway@emerald.ucsc.edu
George Conger
Phone: 303-837-5888
Fax: 303-837-6130
California DOC, Division of Mines
801 K Street, MS 08-38
Sacramento CA 95814-3531 USA
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Dr.
Vallejo CA 94592 USA
KQED FM
2601 Mariposa
San Francisco CA
94110
USA
Clean Coal Technology
2000 Greenwhich
San Francisco CA USA
Univeristy of California at Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
Newmont Mining Corporation
1700 Lincoln Street, Suite 2800
Denver CO 80203 USA
E-mail: GeorgeConger@corp.newmont.com
Edward P. Conti
Phone: 415-495-7110
Fax: 415-495-7107
E-mail: ed.conti@mfgenv.com
Janis Cooke
Phone: 916-255-3372
Fax: 916-255-3015
E-mail: cookej@rb5s.swrcb.ca.gov
Alan Cox
Phone: 925-817-1380
Fax: 925-746-0539
E-mail: acox@homestake.com
MFG, Inc.
71 Stevenson St., Suite 1450
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control
Board
34434 Routier Road, Suite A
Sacramento CA 95827-3098 USA
Homestake Mining Company
1600 Riviera Ave., Suite 200
Walnut Creek CA 94596
USA
B-7
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Michael F. Cox
Phone: 408-553-2116
Fax: 408-553-2414
E-mail: mike-ehs_cox@ agilent.com
David B. Crouch
Phone: 216-694-5482
Fax: 216-694-6707
E-mail: dbcrouch@cleveland-cliffs.com
Dan Crouse
Phone: 541 -298-7255 ext. 31
Fax: 541-298-7330
E-mail: crouse.dan @deq.state.or.us
Joyce E. Cutler
Phone: 510-465-6100
Fax: 510-465-6104
E-mail: jcutler@bna.com
John P. Dadoly
Phone: 541-278-4616
Fax: 541-278-0168
E-mail: dadoly.john@deq.state.or.us
Andy Davis, Ph.D.
Phone: 303-938-8115
Fax: 303-938-8123
E-mail: adavis@geomega.com
David Delasanta
Phone: 925-288-2090
Fax: 925-288-0888
E-mail: ddelasanta@theitgroup.com
John Demarinis
Phone: 707-263-3924 ext. 16
Fax:
E-mail: bigvalleywater@pacific.net
Bhupinder S. Dhaliwal
Phone: 925-229-7237
Fax: 925-689-1232
E-mail: bdhaliwal@centralsan.dst.ca.us
New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association
21700 Almaden Road
San Jose CA 95120 USA
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
1100 Superior Ave.
Cleveland OH 44114 USA
State of Oregon DEQ
400 E. Scenic Drive, Suite 307
The Dalles OR 97058 USA
Bureau of National Affairs Inc.
1200 Lake Shore Ave., Suite 20H
Oakland CA 94606 USA
Oregon DEQ
700 SE Emigrant Suite #330
Pendleton OR 97801 USA
Geomega Inc.
2995 Baseline Road, Suite 202
Boulder CO 80303 USA
IT Corporation
4005 Port Chicago Highway
Concord CA 94520 USA
Big Valley Rancheria
2726 Mission Rancheria Rd
Lakeport CA 95453 USA
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
5019 Imhoff Place
Martinez CA 94509 USA
B-8
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Bruce Donald Cominco Ltd.
Phone: 250-427-8256 Bag 2000
Fax: 250-427-8206 Kimberley
E-mail: bruce.donald@cominco.com
BC V2C 5E8 Canada
Karen Donovan
Phone: 415-273-7445
Fax:
E-mail: kdonovan@allenmatkins.com
Pamela L. Drake
Phone: 509-354-8030
Fax: 509-354-8099
E-mail: pdrake@cdc.gov
David D. Drury, P.E.
Phone: 408-265-2600 x2721
Fax: 408-266-4216
E-mail: leslzoza@scvwd.dst.ca.us
Tom Dunkelman
Phone: 415-744-2294
Fax: 415-744-1916
E-mail: dunkelman.tom@epa.gov
Tula Economou
Phone: 925-988-1208
Fax: 925-935-5368
E-mail: teconomou@entrix.com
Scott Edwards
Phone: 703-765-3510
Fax:
E-mail: nfl3@msn.com
John Engesser
Phone: 218-262-7356
Fax: 218-262-7328
E-mail: john.engesser@dnr.state.mn.us
Mark Engle
Phone: 916-853-4536
Fax: 916-852-0307
E-mail: englem@ttemi.com
Allen Matkins
333 Bush Street, 17th Floor
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
CDC/NIOSH
315 E. Montgomery Ave.
Spokane WA 99207 USA
Santa Clara Valley Water District
5750 Almaden Expressway
San Jose CA 95118 USA
EPA Emergency Response Office
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
ENTRIX
590 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 200
Walnut Creek CA 94596 USA
Metals Treatment Technologies
7928 Bayberry Drive
Alexandria VA 22306 USA
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1525 Third Ave East
Nibbing MN 55746 USA
TetraTechEMI
10670 White Rock Road, Suite 100
Rancho Cordova CA 95670
USA
B-9
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Margaret Engwall
Phone: 603-271-2755
Fax: 603-271-2456
E-mail: mengwall@des. state, nh. us
Richard D. Ernst
Phone: 503-620-7284
Fax: 503-620-6918
E-mail: rick.ernst@hartcrowser.com
Ron A. Espell
Phone: 775-778-8191
Fax: 775-738-0888
E-mail: respell@bgmi.com
Alfonso Espitia
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Ken Esposito
Phone: 970-223-9600
Fax: 970-223-7171
E-mail: kesposito@shepmill.com
Glenn M. Eurick
Phone: 801-741-4666
Fax: 801-539-0665
E-mail: bgcslc2@worldnet.att.net
William F. Fitzgerald
Phone: 860-405-9158
Fax: 860-405-9153
E-mail: wfitzger@uconn.edu
Holly Fliniau
Phone: 303-275-5555
Fax: 303-275-5557
E-mail: holly.fliniau@usda.gov
Fred Flint
Phone: 925-866-5808
Fax: 925-866-5681
E-mail: fxf5@pge.com
N.H. Department of Environmental Services
6 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95
Concord NH 03302-0095 USA
Hart Crowser, Inc.
Five Centerpointe Drive, Suite 240
LakeOswego OR 97035 USA
Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc.
Post Office Box 0029
Elko NV 89803-0029 USA
Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana
Mexico
Shepherd Miller, Inc.
3801 Automation Way, Suite 100
Fort Collins CO 80525 USA
Barrick Gold Corporation
136 East South Temple, Suite 1050
Salt Lake City UT 84111 USA
University of Connecticut
Department of Marine Sciences
Groton CT 06340 USA
USDA
740 Simms St.
Golden CO 80401
USA
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
3400 Crow Canyon Road
San Ramon CA 94583 USA
B-10
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Robert Fodor
Phone: 510-433-0835
Fax:
E-mail: fodorr@saic.com
Richard T. Forester
Phone: 916-978-4673
Fax: 916-978-4657
E-mail: rforeste@ca.blm.gov
Robert Fourt, CEG
Phone: 209-223-6439
Fax: 209-223-6228
E-mail: bfourt@co.amador.ca.us
Toby Frescholtz
Phone: 775-337-8456
Fax: 775-784-4789
E-mail: freschol@scs.unr.edu
Steven J. Frey
Phone: 415-744-1140
Fax: 415-744-1076
E-mail: frey.steve@epa.gov
Twila Frieders
Phone: 703-767-7624
Fax: 703-767-7716
E-mail: twila_frieders@ hq.dla.mil
Jeffrey E. Fromm
Phone: 208-373-0579
Fax: 208-373-0143
E-mail: jfromm@deq.state.id.us
Kumar Ganesan
Phone: 406-496-4239
Fax: 406-496-4650
E-mail: KGanesan@mtech.edu
Priya M. Ganguli
Phone: 510-622-2427
Fax: 510-622-2460
E-mail: pg@rb2.swrcb.ca.gov
SAIC
1404 Franklin Street, 6th Floor
Oakland CA 94612 USA
BLM
2800 Cottage Way Suite W1834
Sacramento CA 95825 USA
Amador County Environmental Health Department
500 Argonaut Lane
Jackson CA 95642 USA
University of Nevado - Reno
651 Eureka Avenue
Reno NV 89512 USA
EPA Region 9 Air Division
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
Defense National Stockpile Center
8725 John J. Kingman Road
Fort Belvoir VA 22060-6223 USA
Idaho DEQ
1410 North Hilton
Boise ID
83706
USA
Montana Tech of The University of Montana
1300 West Park Street
Butte MT 59701 USA
San Francisco Water Quality Control Board
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400
Oakland CA 94612 USA
B-11
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Shawn Garvey
Phone: 530-265-5961
Fax:
E-mail: shawn@syrcl.org
Dennis Geiser
Phone: 415-744-2147
Fax: 415-744-2180
E-mail: geiser.dennis@epa.gov
Gerald F. George
Phone: 925-935-9950
Fax: 925-935-7212
E-mail: ggeorge@cg-law.com
Joseph Gibson
Phone: 334-270-5603
Fax: 334-270-5631
E-mail: glj@adem.state.al.us
Debra Gilliss
Phone: 510-622-4429
Fax: 510-622-4505
E-mail: dgilliss@dhs.ca.gov
Fraser Goff
Phone: 505-667-8060
Fax: 505-665-3285
E-mail: fraser@lanl.gov
Beau Goldie
Phone: 408-265-2607 x2634
Fax: 408-266-6251
E-mail: beaug@scvwd.dst.ca.us
Lise V. Gorgone
Phone: 505-844-1301
Fax: 505-844-3473
E-mail: lvgorgo@sandia.gov
Jonathan Gorman
Phone: 775-738-5006 x291
Fax: 775-758-2904
E-mail: jgorman@anglogoldNA.com
South Yuba River Citizens League
216 Main Street
Nevada City CA 95959 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street, SFD-7-1
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
Campbell, George & Strong, LLP
590 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 201
Walnut Creek CA 94596-3889 USA
Alabama Department of Environmetal Management
1400 Coliseum Boulevard
Montgomery AL 36110 USA
California Department of Health Services
1515 Clay St. Suite 1700
Oakland CA 94612 USA
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Geology/Geochemistry, EES-1, MS D462
Los Alamos NM 87545 USA
Santa Clara Valley Water District
5750 Almaden Expressway
San Jose CA 95118 USA
Rinchem Company, Inc.
6133 Edith Blvd. NE
Albuquerque NM 87107 USA
AngloGold (Jerritt Canyon) Corp.
HC 31, Box 78
Elko NV 89801 USA
B-12
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Dr. Carlos A. Gotelli
Phone: +54114613-1100
Fax: +54114613-3707
E-mail: cgotelli@ciquime.org.ar
Richard Grabowski
Phone: 916-978-4360
Fax: 916-978-4389
E-mail: rgrabowski@ca.blm.gov
Tom Grieb
Phone: 925-283-3771
Fax: 925-283-0780
E-mail: tom.grieb@tetratech.com
Douglas Grosse
Phone: 513-569-7844
Fax: 513-569-7585
Center for Toxicological Research
Juan B. Alberdi 2986
Buenos Aires C1406GSS
Argentina
USDI BLM
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento CA
95825
USA
Tetra Tech
3746 Mt. Diablo Blvd. #300
Lafayette CA 94549
USA
EPAORDNRMRL
MS G75, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
E-mail: Grosse.Douglas@epamail.epa.gov
Susan Grosse
Phone: 7595 Shawnee Run
Fax:
E-mail: susan.grosse@uc.edu
Karen Gruebel
Phone: 650-578-1172
Fax: 650-578-9131
E-mail: kgruebel@ekiconsult.com
Mae Sexauer Gustin
Phone: 775-784-4203
Fax: 775-784-4789
E-mail: msg@scs.unr.edu
Robert K. Hall
Phone: 415-744-1936 or
Fax: 415-744-1038
E-mail: hall.robertk@epa.gov
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati OH 45243 USA
Erler & Kalinowski, Inc.
1730 So. Amphlette Blvd., Suite 320
San Mateo CA 94402 USA
University of Nevado - Reno
Dept of Environmental Resource Sciences, Mail
Stop 370
Reno NV 89557 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco CA
94105
USA
B-13
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Richard Hammack
Phone: 412-386-6585
Fax: 412-386-4579
E-mail: hammack@netl.doe.gov
Ed Hanlon
Phone: 202-564-6761
Fax:
E-mail: hanlon.edward@epa.gov
Barry J. Hansen
Phone: 303-773-6019
Fax: 303-773-6507
E-mail: BHansen804@aol.com
Adam Harper
Phone: 916-447-1977
Fax: 916-447-0348
E-mail: aharper@calmining.org
Evelyn Hartzell
Phone: 513-569-5868
Fax:
E-mail: hartzelle@saic.com
Paul Hecht
Phone: 415-977-8674
Fax: 415-977-8687
E-mail: phecht@SPD.USACE.ARMY.MIL
Scott Hedges
Phone: 202-564-3318
Fax: 202-565-0075
E-mail: hedges.scott@epa.gov
Daniel Heiser
Phone: 208-853-0883
Fax: 208-853-0884
E-mail: dheiser@jbr-env.com
Carl Hensman
Phone: 206-622-6960
Fax: 206-622-6870
E-mail: carlH@frontier.wa.com
Nat'l Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. DOE
626 Cochrans Mill Rd.
Pittsburgh PA 15236 USA
EPA Headquarters
MS 8104R, Ariel Rios Bldg, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave, NW
Washington DC 20460 USA
Hansen Consultants
5991 S. Bellaire Way
Littleton CO 80121-3167 USA
California Mining Association
One Capitol Mall Suite 220
Sacramento CA 95814 USA
SAIC
2260 Park Avenue, Suite 402
Cincinnati OH 45206 USA
Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
333 Market St-RM 719Q
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
EPA ORD Tech Transfer
Ariel Rios Bldg. 1200 Pennsylvania Av N.W.
(MC8301D)
Washington DC 20460 USA
JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc.
6443 North Hillsboro Place
Boise ID 83703 USA
Frontier Geosciences
414 Pontius Ave N
Seattle WA 98109
USA
B-14
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Rodney C. Herrick
Phone: 775-623-1589
Fax: 775-623-1503
E-mail: Rod_Herrick@ nv.blm.gov
Jonathan Herrmann
Phone: 513-569-7839
Fax: 513-569-7680
E-mail: herrmann.jonathan@epa.gov
Alan Heyvaert
Phone: 530-583-3279
Fax: 530-583-2417
E-mail: acheyvaert@ucdavis.edu
Chris T. Higgins
Phone: 916-322-9997
Fax: 916-324-1396
E-mail: chiggins@consrv.ca.gov
Damian K. Higgins
Phone: 775-861-6300
Fax: 775-861-6301
E-mail: damian_higgins@fws.gov
John Hillenbrand
Phone: 415-744-1912
Fax:
BLM
Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 East Winnemucca
Blvd.
Winnemucca NV 89445-2921 USA
EPA
MS 235, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
UCD Tahoe Research Group
PO Box 633
Tahoe City CA 96145
USA
California Division of Mines and Geology
801 K Street, MS 08-38
Sacramento CA 95814 USA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1340 Financial Blvd., Suite 234
Reno NV 89502-7147 USA
EPA Region 9
WTR-7, 75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
E-mail: Hillenbrand.John@epamail.epa.gov
Misti Hiltner
Phone: 206-622-6960
Fax: 206-622-6870
E-mail: mistih@frontier.wa.com
Terry Hosaka
Phone: 541 -298-7255 Ext. #29
Fax: 541-298-7330
E-mail: hosaka.terry@deq.state.or.us
Frontier Geosciences
414 Pontius Ave N
Seattle WA 98109
Oregon DEQ
400 E. Scenic Drive, Suite 2.307
The Dalles OR 97058
USA
USA
B-15
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Roger L. Hothem
Phone: 530-752-4605
Fax: 530-752-8561
E-mail: roger_hothem@ usgs.gov
Helen Hsu
Phone: 510-643-0355
Fax: 510-642-7483
E-mail: helenhsu@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Gerhardt Hubner
Phone: 805-542-4647
Fax: 805-543-0397
E-mail: ghubner@rb3.swrcb.ca.gov
Richard D. Humphreys
Phone: 916-657-0759
Fax: 916-657-2399
E-mail: humpr@dwq.swrcb.ca.gov
Michael Paul Hunerlach
Phone: 916-278-3133
Fax: 916-278-3013
E-mail: hunerlac@usgs.gov
Joe lovenitti
Phone: 510-450-6000
Fax: 510-547-5043
E-mail: JLI@weiss.com
Shahriar Jahanian, Ph.D.
Phone: 215-204-8723
Fax:
E-mail: sjahanian@hotmail.com
Cathy J.Janik
Phone: 650-329-5213
Fax: 650-329-5203
E-mail: cjanik@usgs.gov
USGS Western Ecological Research Center
(WERC)
Davis Field Station, R. 278 Kerr Hall, One Shields
Avenue, University of CA
Davis CA 95616 USA
UC Berkeley
631 Davis Hall
Berkeley CA
94704
USA
Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control
Board
81 Higuera St., Suite 200
San Luis Obispo CA 93401-5427 USA
State Water Resources Control Board
901 P Street
Sacramento CA 95814 USA
US Geological Survey
USGS-WRD, 6000 J Street, Placer Hall
Sacramento CA 95819-6129 USA
Weiss Associates
5801 Christie Avenue, Suite 600
Emeryville CA 94608 USA
Temple University
Department of Mechanical Engineering, 12th and
Norris St.
Philadelphia PA 19122 USA
US Geological Survey
345 Middlefield Road, MS-910
Menlo Park CA 94025
USA
B-16
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
David G. Jewett, Ph.D.
Phone: 580-436-8560
Fax: 580-436-8614
E-mail: jewett.david@epa.gov
Hongming Jiang, Ph.D., P.E.
Phone: 651-296-7670
Fax: 651-297-2343
E-mail: hongming.jiang@pca. state, mn. us
EPAORDNRMRL
P.O. Box #1198
Ada OK 74821
USA
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road N.
St. Paul MN 55155-4194 USA
Jolaine A. Johnson, P.E. Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
Phone: 775-687-4670, ext. 3075 (NDEP)
Fax: 775-687-5856 333 W. Nye Lane
E-mail: jjohnson@ndep.carson-city.nv.us Carson City NV 89706 USA
Kathleen M. Johnson
Phone: 703-648-6110
Fax: 703-648-6057
E-mail: kjohnson@usgs.gov
David B. Jones
Phone: 415-744-2266
Fax:
E-mail: jones.davidb@epa.gov
Philip J. Jones
Phone: 541-767-9717
Fax:
E-mail: pjj1s@juno.com
W. Charles Kerfoot
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail: wkerfoot@mtu.edu
Kristin Kerr
Phone: 510-832-2852
Fax: 510-832-2856
E-mail: kakerr@eoainc.com
Phil Kilner
Phone: 206-622-6960
Fax: 206-622-6870
E-mail: PhilK@frontier.wa.com
USGS
913 National Center
Reston VA 20192 USA
EPA Region 9
WTR-1, 75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council
28 South Sixth Street, Suite A
Cottage Grove OR 97424 USA
Michigan Technological University
Department of Biological Sciences,
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton Ml 49931-1295 USA
EGA, Inc.
1410 Jackson St.
Oakland CA
94611
USA
Frontier Geosciences
414 Pontius Ave N
Seattle WA 98109
USA
B-17
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Christopher S. Kim
Phone: 650-723-7513
Fax: 650-725-2199
E-mail: chriskim@pangea.stanford.edu
Dana Sue Kimbal
Phone: 775-635-4731
Fax: 775-635-4602
E-mail: dkim1@nevada.newmont.com
Trude V.V.King
Phone: 303-236-1373
Fax: 303-236-1409
E-mail: tking@speclab.cr.usgs.gov
John Koestler
Phone: 541-298-7255x41
Fax: 541-298-7330
E-mail: koestler.john@deq.state.or.us
Dr. Randolph A. Koski
Phone: 650-329-5499
Fax: 650-329-5491
E-mail: rkoski@usgs.gov
Peter Kozelka
Phone: 510-412-2332
Fax: 510-412-2302
E-mail: kozelka.peter@epa.gov
Mark Kravetz
Phone: 800-605-0919
Fax: 323-265-3111
E-mail: markkravetz@hotmail.com
John Krist
Phone: 805-655-1764
Fax: 805-650-2950
E-mail: krist@insidevc.com
Jody Kubitz
Phone: 847-842-1882
Fax: 847-842-1883
E-mail: jkubitz@elmllc.com
Stanford University, Department of Geological and
Envir. Sciences
Building 320, Room 118
Stanford CA 94305-2115 USA
Newmont Gold Corp., Twin Creeks Mine
HC66 Box 69
Golconda NV 89414 USA
USGS
PO Box 25046 MS 964
Denver CO 80225 USA
Oregon DEQ
400 E Scenic Drive, # 2.307
The Dalles OR 97058 USA
USGS
MS 941, 345 Middlefield Road
MenloPark CA 94025 USA
EPA Region 9
1337 S. 46th Street
Richmond CA 94804 USA
Cherokee Chemical Company, Inc.
3540 East 26th Street
Vernon CA 90023 USA
Ventura County Star
5250 Ralston Street
Ventura CA 93003 USA
ELM Consulting, L.L.C.
800 Hart Rd Suite 111
Barrington IL 60010 USA
B-18
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Arnold Kuzmack
Phone: 202-260-5821
Fax: 202-260-5394
E-mail: kuzmack.arnold@epa.gov
Amy D. Kyle
Phone: 510-642-8847
Fax: 650-558-6743
E-mail: adkyle@ix.netcom.com
Dan LaMontagne
Phone: 919-733-2801 ext. 290
Fax: 919-733-4811
E-mail: Dan.LaMontagne@ncmail.net
Tatyana G. Laperdina
Phone: 7(3022)21-17-29
Fax: 7(3022)21-25-82
E-mail: ecogeo@cinr.chita.su
David Lawler
Phone: 916-978-4365
Fax: 916-978-4389
E-mail: dlawler@ca.blm.gov
Leonard Levin, Ph.D.
Phone: 650-855-7929
Fax: 650-855-1069
E-mail: llevin@epri.com
Josh Lewis
Phone: 703-308-7877
Fax: 703-308-8433
E-mail: lewis.josh@epa.gov
Michael S. Lico
Phone: 775-887-7626
Fax: 775-887-7629
E-mail: mlico@usgs.gov
EPAOW
MS 4301, Ariel Rios Bldg, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20460 USA
University of California
322 Cortland Ave #226
San Francisco CA 94110
USA
NCDENR - Superfund Section
401 OberlinRd. Suite 150
Raleigh NC 27605 USA
Chita Institue of Natural Resources, Siberian
Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
26ButinStr., P.O. Box 147
Chita 672090 Russia
US DOI BLM - Minerals Division
Federal Bldg. 2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento CA 95825 USA
Electric Power Research Institute
3412 Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto CA 94303 USA
EPA Office of Solid Waste
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (MC5302W)
Washington DC 20460 USA
US Geological Survey, Water Resources Division
333 W. Nye Lane
Carson City NV 89706 USA
B-19
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Doug Liden
Phone: 415-744-1920
Fax: 415-744-1873
E-mail: liden.douglas@epa.gov
Jonathan P. Lilien
Phone: 415-744-1865
Fax: 415-744-1873
E-mail: lilien.jonathan@epa.gov
Dr. Steve Lindberg
Phone: 865-574-7857
Fax: 865-576-8646
E-mail: SLL@ornl.gov
Ken Loda
Phone: 775-623-1500
Fax: 775-623-1503
E-mail: Ken_Loda@ nv.blm.gov
Jorge Loredo
Phone: 34-985104295
Fax: 34-985104245
E-mail: jloredo@correo.uniovi.es
John S. Lovell
Phone: 303-792-5615
Fax: 303-792-5633
E-mail: john.lovell@adatech.com
Greg Lowry
Phone: 650-557-9189
Fax: 650-725-2199
E-mail: lowry@stanford.edu
James Lukasko
Phone: 775-687-4670, ext. 3056
Fax: 775-687-6396
E-mail: jlukasko@ndep.carson-city.nv.us
Rachel Luksic
Phone: 510-832-2852
Fax: 510-832-2856
E-mail: rachel@eoainc.com
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St. WTR-5
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St., WTR-5
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Bethel Valley Rd., Bldg. 1505, MS 6038
Oak Ridge TN 37831-6038 USA
BLM
Winnemucca Field Office,
5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd.
Winnemucca NV 89445 USA
Universidad de Oviedo
Escuela de Minas. Independencia 13
Oviedo 33004 ESPANA
ADA Technologies Inc.
8100 Shaffer Parkway
Littleton CO 80127 USA
Stanford University
1095 Valencia Way
Pacifica CA 94044 USA
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
333 West Nye Lane
Carson City NV 89406 USA
EGA, Inc.
1410 Jackson St.
Oakland CA
94612
USA
B-20
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Sandra Lunieford
Phone: 916-985-8984
Fax:
E-mail: shastachi@aol.com
Carl Ma
Phone: 703-603-9903
Fax: 703-603-9135
E-mail: ma.carl@epa.gov
CSUS / Nevada County
121 KennarWay
Folsom CA 95630
USA
EPAOSWERTIO
(5102G) 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington DC 20460 USA
Mitch Maidrand Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District
Phone: 916-875-9083 8521 Laguna Station Rd
Fax: 916-875-9049 Elk Grove CA 95758 USA
E-mail: maidrandm@pwa.co.sacramento.ca.us
David Malkmus
Phone: 800-688-0484
Fax: 940-243-9089
E-mail: dmalkmus@hotmail.com
James Maly
Phone: 915-203-0260
Fax: 915-544-5994
E-mail: bp863@hotmail.com
Donald J. Mandel
Phone: 916-255-3667
Fax: 916-255-3696
E-mail: dmandel@dtsc.ca.gov
Ellen Manges
Phone: 415-744-2228
Fax:
E-mail: manges.ellen@epa.gov
Claire Marble
Phone: 831-372-4941
Fax:
E-mail: ccmarble@mbay.net
Barbara Marcotte
Phone: 916-651-6476
Fax: 916-651-6486
E-mail: marcotte@water.ca.gov
SepraDyne Corporation
7201 I-35 North
Denton TX 76207 USA
Frontera Environmental, L.L.C.
2310 Montana Ave.
El Paso TX 79903 USA
DISC
10151 Croydon Way, Suite #3
Sacramento CA 95827 USA
EPA Region 9
SFD-7-2, 75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
Accommodations Unlimited
217 Stuart Ave.
Monterey CA 93940 USA
CALFED Bay-Delta Program
1416 9th Street
Sacramento CA 95814 USA
B-21
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Alina Martin
Phone: 703-318-4678
Fax: 703-736-0826
E-mail: martinali@saic.com
Elizabeth J. Martin
Phone: 530-265-1480
Fax: 530-265-1234
E-mail: izzy@oro.net
Mark Marvin-DiPasquale
Phone: 650-329-4442
Fax: 650-329-4463
E-mail: mmarvin@usgs.gov
Michelle Mathis
Phone: 415-543-8410
Fax:
E-mail:
Jason T. May
Phone: 916-278-3079
Fax: 916-278-3071
E-mail: jasonmay@usgs.gov
David McCauley
Phone: 707-562-8852
Fax: 707-562-9055
E-mail: dmccauley@fs.fed.us
Stephen McCord
Phone: 530-753-6400
Fax: 530-753-7030
E-mail: sam@lwadavis.com
Patricia McGovern
Phone: 925-932-1710
Fax: 925-930-0208
E-mail: pmcgovern@carollo.com
Sandy McNeel
Phone: 510-622-4454
Fax: 510-622-4505
E-mail: smcneel@dhs.ca.gov
SAIC
11251 Roger Bacon Drive
Reston VA 20190
USA
Nevada County Supervisor, District 4
950 Maidu Ave.
Nevada City CA 95959 USA
USGS
345 Middlefield Rd. / MS 480
Menlo Park CA 94025
USA
CMP Services
55 New Montgomery Street, Suite 308
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
USGS
6000 J Street
Sacramento
CA 95819-6129 USA
USDA, Forest Service
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo CA 94592 USA
Larry Walker Associates
509 Fourth Street
Davis CA 95616 USA
Carollo Engineers
2700 Ygancio Valley Rd. Suite 300
Walnut Creek CA 94598 USA
California Department Health Services
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1700
Oakland CA 94564 USA
B-22
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Glenn C. Miller
Phone: 775-784-4108
Fax: 775-784-1142
E-mail: gcmiller@scs.unr.edu
Kathi Moore
Phone: 415-744-2221
Fax: 415-744-2180
E-mail: moore.kathi@epa.gov
Tim Moore
Phone: 831-630-5027
Fax: 831-630-5055
E-mail: t16moore@ca.blm.gov
Karl Morgenstern
Phone: 541-686-7838x255
Fax: 541-686-7551
E-mail: morgenstern.karl@deq.state.or.us
James A. Mough
Phone: 541-942-4074
Fax:
E-mail: mough@uswest.net
David Nacht
Phone: 775-784-4722
Fax:
E-mail: davenacht@excite.com
Suzzann Nordwick
Phone: 406-494-7433
Fax: 406-494-7230
E-mail: suzzann@mse-ta.com
Michael A. Nowak
Phone: 412-386-6020
Fax: 412-386-4604
E-mail: michael.nowak@netl.doe.gov
Dr. Yakup Nurdogan
Phone: 925-288-2247
Fax: 925-288-0888
E-mail: ynurdogan@theitgroup.com
Center for Environmental Science and Engineering
Mail Stop 199, University of Nevada
Reno NV 89557 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 95104
USA
USBLM
20 Hamilton
Hollister
CA 95023
USA
Oregon DEQ
1102 Lincoln, Suite 210
Eugene OR 97401
USA
Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Advisory Council
PO Box 921
Cottage Grove OR 97424 USA
University of Nevado - Reno
P.O. Box 14529
Reno NV 89507 USA
MSE Technology Applications
P.O. Box 4078
Butte MT 59701 USA
National Energy Technology Laboratory
P.O. Box 10940 Mail Stop 922-273C
Pittsburgh PA 15236-0949 USA
IT Corporation
4005 Port Chicago Highway
Concord CA 94520
USA
B-23
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Keith O'Brien
Phone: 415-899-1600
Fax: 415-899-1601
E-mail: kobrien@pesenv.com
Richard Oki
Phone: 609-298-0354
Fax: 609-324-1135
E-mail: abudu@msn.com
Eileen A. Olson
Phone: 907-269-7527
Fax: 907-269-7649
E-mail: eolson@envircon.state.ak.us
Nicole Ortega
Phone: 916-557-6632
Fax: 916-557-5307
E-mail: nortega@spk.usace.army.mil
Delbert Parr
Phone: 530-299-3100 ext. 2
Fax: 530-299-3103
E-mail: dparr@hdo.net
Steve Peirano
Phone: 415-973-4481
Fax: 415-973-7892
E-mail: slp2@pge.com
Lisa Penaska
Phone: 415-744-1597
Fax: 415-538-5062
E-mail: penaska.lisa@epa.gov
John Pepin
Phone: 707-998-1135
Fax: 707-998-1236
E-mail: pepin@eiemnation.com
Carl Persson
Phone: 907-267-1277
Fax: 907-267-1304
E-mail: cpersson@ak.blm.gov
PES Environmental, Inc.
1682 Novato Blvd.
Novato CA 94947
USA
ESC, lnc.(Div. of Geosystems & Technologies, Inc.)
103 Davenport Drive
Yardville NJ 08620-9408 USA
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
555 Cordova St.
Anchorage AK 99501 USA
USAGE, Sacramento District
1325 J Street
Sacramento CA 95814 USA
Lassen Gold Mining, Inc.
P.O. Box 365
Adin CA 96006 USA
PG&E
245 Market St. Pm. 1149
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
Indian Programs Office- EPA
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
EIEM Nation
P.O. Box 1997
Clearlake OaksCA USA
BLM
6881 Abbott Loop Rd.
Anchorage AK 99507 USA
B-24
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Don Porcella
Phone: 925-938-4775
Fax: 925-934-7205
E-mail: dporcell@home.com
Wayne Praskins
Phone: 415-744-2256
Fax:
E-mail: praskins.wayne@epa.gov
Michael Rainer
Phone: 804-672-3464
Fax: 804-282-1325
E-mail: LCPatent@aol.com
Paul Randall
Phone: 513-569-7673
Fax: 513-569-7620
E-mail: randall.paul@epa.gov
Patty Rehn
Phone: 541-385-3145
Fax: 541-388-5068
E-mail: alpacas@bendnet.com
Gregory J. Reller
Phone: 916-853-4531
Fax: 916-852-0307
E-mail: rellerg@ttemi.com
Jane Reyer
Phone: 218-387-3377
Fax: 218-387-3377
E-mail: jreyer@boreal.org
Patrick Ritter, P.E.
Phone: 415-981-2811
Fax: 415-981-0801
E-mail: pritter@ene.com
Richard Rollins
Phone: 650-853-0464
Fax: 650-853-0465
E-mail:
Environmental Science & Management
1034 Lindsey Court
Lafayette CA 94549 USA
EPA Region 9
SFD-7-3, 75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
DYNA Phore, Inc.
2709 Willard Rd.
Richmond VA
23294-3631 USA
EPAORDNRMRL
MS 481, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
Quicksilver Systems
19005 Pinehurst Rd
Bend OR 97701
USA
Tetra Tech EM, Inc.
10670 White Rock Road, Suite 100
Rancho Cordova CA 95670
National Wildlife Federation
220 Pike Lake Road
Grand Marais MN 55604 USA
Ecology and Environment, Inc.
350 Sansome Street, Suite 300
San Francisco CA 94104 USA
HOH Corporation
1255EICaminoRoad#124
MenloPark CA 94025 USA
USA
B-25
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Steve Rosenbaum
Phone: 916-255-3131
Fax: 916-255-3052
E-mail: rosenbs® rb5s.swrcb.ca.gov
Raymond Ruminski
Phone: 707-263-1164
Fax: 707-263-1681
E-mail: ray__r@co.lake.ca.us
Carol Russell
Phone: 303-312-6310
Fax: 303-312-6897
E-mail: russell.carol@epa.gov
James J. Rytuba
Phone: 650-329-5418
Fax: 650-329-5490
E-mail: jrytuba@usgs.gov
Kathleen Salyer
Phone: 415-744-2214
Fax: 415-744-1796
E-mail: salyer.kathleen@epa.gov
Mary B. Schafer
Phone: 517-373-9832
Fax: 517-335-4887
E-mail: schafemb@state.mi.us
Mike Schaver
Phone: 707-263-3924 ext. 24
Fax:
E-mail: bigvalleyepa@pacific.net
Paul Scheidig
Phone: 775-829-2121
Fax: 775-829-2148
E-mail: pscheidig@nevadamining.org
Stephen M. Schoen
Phone: 775-468-4408
Fax: 775-468-4610
E-mail: steve_schoen@ placerdome.com
Regional Water Quality Control Board
3443 Routier Road
Sacramento CA 95827 USA
Lake County Health Services Department
922 Bevins Ct
Lakeport CA 95453 USA
EPA Region 8
999 18th Street, Suite 300, EPR-EP
Denver CO 80202 USA
US Geological Survey
MS 901, 345 Middlefield Road
MenloPark CA 94025 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St., SFD-8-2
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
State of Michigan
P.O. Box 30426
Lansing Ml 48933 USA
Big Valley Rancheria
2726 Mission Rancheria Rd
Lakeport CA 95453 USA
Nevada Mining Association
5250 South Virginia Street, Suite 220
Reno NV 89502 USA
Placer Dome U.S. Inc.
HC66-50, Star Route
Beowawe NV 89821
USA
B-26
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Erica Schoenberger
Phone: 510-883-1403
Fax: 510-848-3319
E-mail: ericas@jhu.edu
Richard Schulz
Phone: 701-777-5218
Fax: 701-777-5181
E-mail: rschulz@undeerc.org
Steve Schurman
Phone: 303-205-7935
Fax: 303-205-7927
E-mail: metalstt@msn.com
Steven Schwarzbach
Phone: 916-414-6590
Fax: 916-414-6713
E-mail: steven_schwarzbach @ fws.gov
Norman Toby Scott, RPG
Phone: 541 -388-6146, x246
Fax: 541-388-8283
E-mail: Scott.Toby@deq.state.or.us
Robert R. Seal, Ph.D.
Phone: 703-648-6290
Fax: 703-648-6383
E-mail: rseal@usgs.gov
Alan Septoff
Phone: 202-887-1872 x205
Fax: 202-887-1875
E-mail: aseptoff@mineralpolicy.org
Byron Shark
Phone: 303-275-5183
Fax: 303-275-5170
E-mail: bshark@fs.fed.us
Roger Sherwood
Phone: 530-243-6501
Fax: 530-244-3480
E-mail:
Johns Hopkins University
3031 Dana Street
Berkeley CA 94705
USA
Energy & Environmental Research Center
15 North 23rd Street
Grand Forks ND 58202-9018 USA
Metals Treatment Technologies, LLC
2801 Youngfield Street, Suite 300
Golden CO 80401 USA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento CA 95825 USA
Oregon DEQ
2146 NE Fourth St. Suite 104
Bend OR 97701 USA
US Geological Survey
954 National Center
Reston VA 20192 USA
Mineral Policy Center
1612KSt., NW, Suite 808
Washington DC 20006 USA
USDA, Forest Service
PO Box 25127
Lakewood CO 80225-0127 USA
E-Dredge Co.
7016 Carroll Lane
Anderson CA 96007
USA
B-27
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Chris Sladek
Phone: 775-784-4966
Fax: 775-784-4789
E-mail: csladek@scs.unr.edu
Dr. Darell G. Slotton
Phone: 530-756-1001
Fax: 530-752-3350
E-mail: dgslotton@ucdavis.edu
University of Nevado - Reno
Department of Geological Sciences, MS 370
Reno NV 89557 USA
University of California, Department of Environ.
Science & Policy
1 Shields Ave
Davis CA 95616 USA
Shea Clark Smith Minerals Exploration & Environmental
Phone: 775-849-2235 Geochemistry
Fax: 775-849-2335 P.O. Box 18325
E-mail: SheaClarkSmith@compuserve.com RenoNV 89704
USA
Frank Snitz
Phone: 415-977-8540
Fax: 415-977-8695
E-mail: fsnitz@spd.usace.army.mil
Suzanne Sotomey
Phone: 775-784-6654
Fax:
E-mail: ssotomey@yahoo.com
Robert Speirs
Phone: 530-796-3355
Fax: 530-796-2256
E-mail: bobspeirs@afes.com
Douglas Steding
Phone: 831-459-2088
Fax: 831-459-2088
E-mail: dsteding@es.ucsc.edu
William G. Stelz
Phone: 202-564-6834
Fax: 202-565-2447
E-mail: stelz.william@epa.gov
Brent E. Stephens
Phone: 801-266-7700
Fax: 801-268-9992
E-mail: stephens@datachem.com
USAGE
333 Market
San Francisco CA 94195-2197 USA
University of Nevado - Reno
DTMC
15600 Road 45, Box 5
Guinda CA 95637
USA
University of California, Santa Cruz
Department of Earth Sciences, 1156 High Street
Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
EPA, ORD, NCER
8722R, Ariel Rios Bldg, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W.
Washington DC 20460 USA
DataChem Laboratories, Inc.
960 W. LeVoy Drive
Salt Lake City UT 84123
USA
B-28
-------
ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Michael Stoll
Phone: 415-359-2754
Fax: 415-359-2766
E-mail: mstoll@sfexaminer.com
Daniel Stralka
Phone: 415-744-2310
Fax: 415-744-1916
E-mail: stralka.daniel@epa.gov
Thomas H. Suchanek, Ph.D.
Phone: 530-752-9035
Fax: 530-752-4154
E-mail: thsuchanek@ucdavis.edu
Karen Summers
Phone: 925-283-3771
Fax: 925-283-0780
E-mail: karen.summers@tetratech.com
Wayne Svejnoha
Phone: 907-271-3807
Fax: 907-271-5479
E-mail: wayne_svejnoha@ak.blm.gov
Daniel Tecca
Phone: 775-687-4670 ext. 3131
Fax: 775-684-5259
E-mail: dtecca@ndep.carson-city.nv.us
Kevin Telmer
Phone: 250-472-4182
Fax: 250-472-4184
E-mail: telmer@uvic.ca
Hugh Thomas
Phone: 805-238-5781
Fax:
E-mail: htcomfsh@tcsn.net
Jim Thomas
Phone: 775-673-7305
Fax: 775-673-7363
E-mail: jthomas@dri.edu
The San Francisco Examiner
988 Market Street
San Francisco CA 94102 USA
EPA
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco CA 94105 USA
University of California - Davis
Depart, of Wildlife, Fish & Conserv. Biology,
1 Shields Ave.
Davis CA 95616 USA
Tetra Tech
3746 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette CA 94549 USA
USDI, BLM
222 W. 7th Ave. #13
Anchorage AK 99513 USA
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
333W.NyeLn.Ste 154
Carson City NV 89706 USA
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences,
University of Victoria
Room 280 Petch Building
Victoria BC V8W3P6 Canada
California Department F&G. CERCLA
5035 Adelaide Rd.
PasoRobles CA 93446 USA
Desert Research Institute
2215 Raggio Parkway
Reno NV 89512
USA
B-29
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Karen A. Thomas
Phone: 775-887-7672
Fax: 775-887-7629
E-mail: kathomas@usgs.gov
Cori Traub
Phone: 415-362-3040
Fax: 415-362-3188
E-mail: ctraub@cleanwater.org
Todd Trigsted
Phone: 406-496-4244
Fax:
E-mail: tdtrigsted@hotmail.com
Luke Trip
Phone: 819-997-1967
Fax: 819-994-3479
Canada
E-mail: luke.trip@ec.gc.ca
Timothy Tsukamoto
Phone: 775-784-4413
Fax:
E-mail: tsukamot@scs.unr.edu
Harold Tuchfeld
Phone: 925-943-3034 ext. 222
Fax: 925-943-2366
E-mail: halt@geosyntec.com
Michael Tuffly
Phone: 916-324-0844
Fax: 916-322-4862
E-mail: mtuffly@consrv.ca.gov
Peter L. Tuttle
Phone: 775-861-6325
Fax: 775-861-6301
E-mail: pete_tuttle@ fws.gov
USGS
333 W. Nye Lane
Carson City NV
89706
USA
Clean Water Action
23 Grant Avenue
San Francisco CA 94108
USA
Mine Waste Technology Program
808 1/2W. Silver Street
Butte MT 59701 USA
Environment Canada
351, St-Joseph Blvd
Hull Quebec
University of Nevado - Reno
MS 199
Reno NV 89557
Geosyntec Consultants
1500 Newell Avenue
Walnut Creek CA 94118
K1AOH3
USA
USA
California DOC
801 "K" Street
Sacramento CA
95814
USA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
NV Fish & Wildlife Office, 1340 Financial Blvd.,
Suite 234
Reno NV 89502-7147 USA
B-30
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Marina Urbina
Phone: 926-264007(76017)
Fax:
E-mail: murbina@igem-al.uclm.es
E.U.P. Almaden UCLM
Plaza Manuel Meca
Almaden 13400
Spain
Kay Michael WPI
Phone: 301-538-1923
Fax: 301-538-1971
E-mail: kay_vdh@ gt.wpi.org
Dirk J.A. van Zyl
Phone: 775-784-7039
Fax: 775-784-1833
E-mail: dvanzyl@mines.unr.edu
Dan Watson
Phone: 408-945-3739
Fax: 408-934-0476
E-mail: dan.watson@ci.su.ca.us
Rick Weaver
Phone: 530-478-6241
Fax: 530-478-6109
E-mail: rweaver@fs.fed.us
Dyan C. Whyte
Phone: 510-644-2515
Fax: 510-622-2441
E-mail: dcw@rb2.swrcb.ca.gov
Jim Wickens
Phone: 775-753-1488
Fax: 775-753-9356
E-mail: jwickens@bgmi.com
Trent R. Wickman, P.E.
Phone: 218-723-4760
Fax: 218-723-4727
E-mail: trent.wickman® pea. state, mn. us
MarkWiechmann
Phone: 415-977-8697
Fax: 415-977-8695
E-mail: mwiechmann@spd.usace.army.mil
12850 Middlebrook Rd. Suite 250
Germantown MD 20874 USA
University of Nevado - Reno
Mackay School of Mines, Rm. 301 LME /
Mail Stop 173
Reno NV 89557 USA
City of San Jose
4245 Zanker Road
San Jose CA
95734
USA
USFS - Tahoe National Forest
631 Coyote St.
Nevada City CA 95959
USA
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control
Board
1515 Clay St. .Suite 1400
Oakland CA 94612 USA
Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc.
PO Box 29
Elko NV 89803
USA
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
525 S. Lake Ave., Suite 400
Duluth MN 55802 USA
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
333 Market Street (7th Floor)
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
B-31
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
RickWilkin
Phone: 580-436-8874
Fax: 580-436-8703
E-mail: wilkin.rick@epa.gov
Dave Wittorff
Phone: 775-738-5006 x293
Fax: 775-758-9204
E-mail: dwittorff@anglogoldna.com
Becky Wood
Phone: 916-484-3351
Fax: 916-484-7012
E-mail: bwood@teichert.com
Phil Woodward
Phone: 530-224-4853
Fax: 530-224-4857
E-mail: woodwap@rb5r.swrcb.ca.gov
Jennifer Wu
Phone: 415-744-2032
Fax: 415-744-1044
E-mail: wu.jenniferc@epa.gov
Laura Young
Phone: 408-255-2800
Fax: 408-266-4218
E-mail: leslzoza@scvwd.dst.ca.us
Lin Yuhuan
Phone: (86-10)62923540
Fax: (86-10)62923563
E-mail: jlsh@imech.ac.cn
Richard E. Zehner
Phone: 775-784-4203
Fax: 775-784-4789
E-mail: monrz@aol.com
EPA
919 Kerr Research Drive
Ada OK 74820 USA
AngloGold (Jerritt Canyon) Corp.
HC31, Box 78
Elko NV 89801 USA
Teichert Aggregates
P.O. Box15002
Sacramento CA 95851 USA
Regional Water Quality Control Board
415 Knollcrest Dr, Suite 100
Redding CA 96002 USA
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street (WST-5)
San Francisco CA 94105
Santa Clara Valley Water District
5750 Amaden Expressway
USA
San Jose
CA 95118
USA
Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences,
Chinese Academy of Sciences
P.O. Box: 2871, 15# Shuan Qing Road
Beijing China
University of Nevada - Reno
Depart, of Environ. & Resource Sciences,
Mail Stop 370
Reno NV 89557 USA
B-32
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ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND
CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES
November 28 - 30, 2000
San Francisco, California
FINAL LIST OF ATTENDEES
Daniel V. Ziarkowski
Phone: 916-255-3689
Fax: 916-255-3697
E-mail: dziarkow@dtsc.ca.gov
Nahid Zoueshtiagh
Phone: 415-744-1261
Fax: 415-744-1026
E-mail: zoueshtiagh.nahid@epa.gov
California Department of Toxic Substances
10151 Croydon Way, Suite # 3
Sacramento CA 95827 USA
EPA Region 9, Air Division
75 Hawthorne St. Air 3
San Francisco CA 94105
USA
B-33
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?/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
EPA/625/R-04/102
February 2005
www.epa.gov
PRESORTED STANDARD
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT No. G-35
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with vegetable-based ink on
paper that contains a minimum of
50% post-consumer fiber content
processed chlorine free
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