EPA-600/2-77-224
NOVEMBER 1977
Environmental Protection Technology Series
MINE DRAINAGE CONTROL FROM METAL
MINES IN A SU8ALPINE ENVIRONMENT
A Feasibility Study
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
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RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES
Research reports of the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, have been grouped into nine series. These nine broad cate-
gories were established to facilitate further development and application of en-
vironmental technology. Elimination of traditional grouping was consciously
planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields.
The nine series are:
1. Environmental Health Effects Research
2. Environmental Protection Technology
3. Ecological Research
4. Environmental Monitoring
5. Socioeconomic Environmental Studies
6. Scientific and Technical Assessment Reports (STAR)
7. Interagency Energy-Environment Research and Development
8. "Special" Reports
9. Miscellaneous Reports
This report has been assigned to the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TECH-
NOLOGY series. This series describes research performed to develop and dem-
onstrate instrumentation, equipment, and methodology to repair or prevent en-
vironmental degradation from point and non-point sources of pcmuxwfr fiTurwork
provides the new or improved technology required for the control and treatment
of pollution sources to meet environmental quality standards.
This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
tion Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
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EPA-600/2-77-224
November 1977
MINE DRAINAGE CONTROL FROM METAL MINES
IN A SUBALPINE ENVIRONMENT
A Feasibility Study
by
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
Engineering Bureau
Helena, Montana 59601
Grant No. S802671
Project Officer
Ronald D. Hill
Extraction Technology Branch
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
CINCINNATI, OHIO 45268
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for
publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily
reflect the views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorse-
ment or recommendation for use.
n
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FOREWORD
When energy and material resources are extracted, processed, converted,
and used, the related pollutional impacts on our environment and even on our
health often require that new and increasingly more efficient pollution con-
trol methods be used. The Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory-
Cincinnati (TERL-Ci) assists in developing and demonstrating new and improved
methodologies that will meet these needs both efficiently and economically.
In this report the technical and economic feasibility of reclaiming
and preventing mine drainage from abandoned metal mines in a subalpine
environment was determined. Alternative methods of controlling pollution
from surface, and underground mines as well as tailings ponds were evaluated.
This study has been one of the more comprehensive of its kind and the first
for subalpine conditions.
Results of this work will be especially interesting to State and
Federal agencies concerned with reclamation of abandoned metal mines and
to mining firms faced with reclamation in subalpine environments. For
further information contact the Resource Extraction and Handling Division.
David G. Stephan
Director
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Cincinnati
iii
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ABSTRACT
Investigations of the McLaren mine and mill areas and the Glengary mine
area in the vicinity of Cooke City, Montana, were undertaken from July 1973
through September 1975, to examine the acid mine drainage (AMD) from these
sources and determine the feasibility of rehabilitating these subalpine
mining areas and mill area. A biological study was conducted to determine
the existing degraded biological conditions of streams affected by AMD and
the extent of reclamation necessary to restore a viable fishery to the
stream.
Reclamation proposed includes recontouring and revegetating land sur-
faces, sealing shafts in the mine areas, and isolating the tailings from
Soda Butte Creek. .
This report was submitted in fulfillment of Grant No. S802671 under the
sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The report covers
the period June 18, 1973, to June 30, 1976, and work was completed as of
August 1, 1977.
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CONTENTS
Disclaimer - }]
Foreword ....... iii
Abstract 1v
Illustrations vii
Tables ix
Acknowledgments x
1. Introduction 1
Scope 1
Objectives ..... 1
Project Description 2
2. Conclusions and Recommendations * 3
Introduction 3
McLaren Mine Area , . . . , 3
Glengary Mine Area 4
McLaren Mill Area 5
3. Legal Framework ,,.,..,,.. 7
Authority , . . , 7
Site and Mineral Right Acquisition ............ 7
4. Environmental Inventory 8
Cultural Environment . 8
Mining History
Current Social and Economic Conditions
Physical Environment . 10
Introduction
Mine Areas
Introduction
Physical Resources and Conditions
Geology
Hydrology
Water Chemistry
The Mixing of Dissimilar Stream Waters
Discussion
Mill Area - 48
Introduction
Geology
Tailings Material
Hydrology
Water Chemistry
Discussion
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5. Biological Study 82
Introduction 82
Chemical Sampling
Basic Chemical Parameters and Heavy
Metal Analyses
Field Physiochemical Determinations
Stream Sediment Analyses
Biological Studies
Benthic Insects
Fish Shocking
Bioassays
Fish Tissue Analyses
Results 85
Stillwater-McLaren Mine Area
Chemical Sampling
Biological Studies
Clarks Fork-Glengary Mine Area
Chemical Sampling
Biological Studies
Soda Butte-McLaren Mill Area
Chemical Sampling
Biological Studies
Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 101
Stillwater-McLaren Mine Area
Clarks Fork-Glengary Mine Area
Soda Butte-McLaren Mill Area
6. Reclamation Alternatives 1Q3
McLaren Mine Area 193
Glengary Mine Area '.'.!. 107
McLaren Mill Area 113
Mill Tailings Removal
Effluent Treatment
Infiltration Control
References 123
Bibliography !'./'.'.!'. 125
Appendices 126
A. Conversion Factors 126
B. Climatic Data 130
C. Methods of Investigation 132
D. Acid Mine Drainage Effects on Streams. 135
E. Water Quality Analysis Data 139
F. Chemistry of Snow Samples 154
G. Summary of Well and Drilling Data 155
H. Water Levels-McLaren Mill Site 163
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FIGURES
Number Page
1 Location of the study area 9
2 Location of Cooke City and the mine and mill areas 11
3 Sketch of the McLaren mine area . 13
4 Sketch of the Glengary mine area 14
5 Relative percentage of water in the lower Glengary tunnel 16
6 Geologic map of sec. 11 and part of sec. 2, T. 9 S., R. 14 E.,
near Cooke City, Montana 17
7 Schematic cross section showing the thickness of unconsolidated
deposits at the McLaren mine area 28
8 Hydrograph for Daisy Creek at site 109, McLaren mine area 30
9 Hydrograph for Fisher Creek at site 207, Glengary mine area .... 34
10 Iron versus sulfate plot for water samples collected at the
lower adit (site 205), Glengary mine area 37
11 Flow versus specific conductance for waters collected at sites
109 and 207 39
12 Flow versus total suspended solids for Daisy and Fisher Creeks
at their gauging stations. . 42
13 Metal loads at McLaren mine site for water year 1975 44
14 Water quality at McLaren mine site (July 30, 1975) 46
15 Metal loads at Glengary mine site for water year 1975 .. 47
16 Sample site location map of the mill tailings area 50
17 Hydrographs for Soda Butte Creek at sites 317 and 322
for 1974 56
18 Hydrographs for Soda Butte Creek at sites 317 and 322
for 1975 57
19 Location of flow measurement sites at McLaren mill site
(July 21, 1975) 58
20 Semi logarithmic plot of Soda Butte Creek hydrographs
showing base flow for sites 317 and 322 60
21 Water table map of the McLaren mill site (May 21, 1974) 62
22 Water table map of the McLaren mill site (June 6, 1974) 63
23 Water table map of the McLaren mill site (July 12, 1974) 64
24 Water table map of the McLaren mill site (July 1, 1975) 65
25 Water table map of the McLaren mill site (September 9, 1975). ... 66
26 Flow versus sulfate plot for sites 317, 321, and 322 67
27 Isopleth map of field pH values from wells at the McLaren mill
site (July 2, 1975) . . . 71
28 Isopleth map of laboratory specific conductance from wells at
the McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975) 72
29 Isopleth map of sulfate concentration from wells at the
McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975) • 74
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30 Isopleth map of dissolved iron concentration from wells at the
McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975) 75
31 McLaren tailings pond—diagrammatic vertical section 76
32 Generalized flow map showing direction of groundwater move-
ment within the tailings (July 2, 1975) 78
33 Metal loads at McLaren mill site for water year 1975 81
34 Location of water quality and biological sampling stations .... 83
35 Variations in calcium plus magnesium at each station during
the study period—Soda Butte Creek 91
36 Variations in sulfate at each station during the study period--
Soda Butte Creek 92
37 Variations in total alkalinity at each station during the
study period—Soda Butte Creek 93
38 Dissolved iron concentrations, Soda Butte Creek 95
39 Dissolved iron concentrations at downstream stations 95
40 Length-mortality relationship in two bioassays in Soda Butte
Creek 9.9
41 Proposed McLaren mine reclamation plan 104
42 Cross section of air seal 109
43 Cross section of bulkhead seal 109
44 Proposed Glengary mine reclamation plan 110
45 Cross section of McLaren mill pile and Soda Butte Creek
before and after tailings removal . . , 114
46 Proposed location of treatment plant and settling pond at
McLaren mill area 117
47 Proposed lime neutralization process at McLaren mill area 118
48 Cross section of proposed dam at McLaren mill tailings pile. ... 120
49 Proposed location of new dam and proposed Soda Butte Creek
channel at McLaren mill area 121
PHOTOS
1 Upper Glengary mine area showing disturbed area 21
2 Upper Glengary mine area showing collapsed mine adit 22
3 McLaren mine area showing disturbed area 24
4 McLaren mill area showing Soda Butte Creek '. 49
5 Soda Butte Creek near site 317 ' 55
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TABLES
Numbers Page
1 McLaren Mine Area Stream-flow Data 25
2 McLaren Mine Observation Well--Depth to Water 27
3 Glengary Mine Observation Wells—Depth to Water 31
4 Fisher Creek Area Stream-flow Data 33
5 Precipitation Data From Storage Precipitation Gauge,
Fisher Creek Drainage Basin . . . 35
6 Impact of a Storm on Runoff Quality At Site 103 45
7 Chemical Analyses of Drill Holes, McLaren Mill Site 52
8 McLaren Mill Site Streamflow Data 54
9 Flow Measurements Around McLaren Mill Tailings Pond,
June 21, 1975 59
10 Heavy Metal Analyses of Stream Gravels, Stillwater
Drainage 87
11 Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fish Flesh from the
Still water-McLaren Mine Stations, September 1975 88
12 Heavy Metal Analyses of Stream Gravels, Clarks Fork
Drainage. . . . 89
13 Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fish Flesh from the
Clarks Fork-Glengary Mine Stations, September 1975 .... 90
14 Heavy Metal Analyses of Stream Gravels, Soda Butte Creek. . . 94
15 Total and Average Number of Behthic Insects Collected
in Soda Butte Creek 96
16 Comparative Water Quality Data from Station 322 and
100% Soda Butte Creek Water 98
17 Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fish Flesh from the
Soda Butte-McLaren Mill Sites 100
18 Characteristics of Mine Waste Materials at McLaren
Mine Site . 105
19 Cost of Reclamation at McLaren Mine Site 107
20 Characteristics of Mine Waste Materials at Glengary
Mine Site Ill
21 Cost of Reclamation at Glengary Mine Site 112
22 Cost of Removing McLaren Mill Tailings 115
23 Cost of Treating Effluent from McLaren Mill Tailings 119
24 Cost of Controlling Infiltration into the McLaren Mill
Dump 122
IX
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation would like to thank
Richard B. Berg, Grove L. Higgins Jr., Marvin R. Miller, John L. Sonderegger,
Joseph J. Wallace Jr., and Laurence A. Wegelin of the Montana Bureau of Mines
and Geology and Ken Knudson of the Montana Department of Fish and Game who
provided most of the work and study involved in this project.
A special thanks is extended to Albert Brubaker, a local resident of
Silver Gate, Montana, who provided many hours of untiring labor in collect-
ing water samples, streamflow measurements, and performing other odd jobs
for the project.
The Department also wishes to thank personnel from the Custer National
Forest, Gallatin National Forest, and the U.S. Forest Service, Forestry
Science Laboratory, Ogden, Utah for their cooperation and input to the study.
The following Department staff also contributed to this project:
Richard L. Bondy, Project Manager; Michael R. Brown, Project Coordinator;
Ann W. Crowner, Editor; and Melvin F. McBeath, Hydrographer.
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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this project was to conduct a feasibility study of
techniques for reduction and treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) in an
alpine/subalpine environment near Cooke City, Montana. A general discussion
of the chemistry of AMD and its effects on streams is contained in Appendix D.
The basic approach to the study included five study-work plans: a geo-
hydrology study, water quality study, biological study, on-site evaluation of
rehabilitation techniques, and visual resources study. The data collection
included installation of groundwater level and stream gauging stations, and
water quality sampling of both surface water and groundwater.
Objectives
The objectives of the feasibility study were:
1. To select the proper techniques to rehabilitate areas producing AMD
in an alpine/subalpine environment and to demonstrate that AMD from hard rock
mining can be controlled if proper preventive and corrective measures are
taken. This is the major objective.
2. To assist mining companies or any other private concerns interested
in the minerals of the area in determining the best methods of rehabilitation
should they again mine the area.
3. To select the proper techniques to prevent further degradation of
water quality in the Stillwater River, and Soda Butte and Fisher Creeks and
to maintain the present fisheries in these streams.
4. To select the proper techniques to improve the water quality and to
promote, where feasible, fisheries in the reaches of the Stillwater River,
and Soda Butte and Fisher Creeks that are already contaminated and sterile.
5. To determine ways in which aesthetic values can be restored. The
area, especially that contaminated reach of Soda Butte Creek near Cooke City,
is viewed by many people as they enter or leave Yellowstone National Park.
6. To establish the feasibility of revegetating the old mine workings.
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Project Description
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) di-
rected the AMD feasibility study and contracted with the Montana Bureau of
Mines and Geology to conduct a hydrogeological study of the project sites,
including water quality studies. The Montana Department of Fish and Game
was contracted to do a biological study of the streams affected by AMD.
Initial field work in 1973 included selection and sampling of several
surface water quality monitoring stations at each of the three project sites.
Ten observation wells were installed in the McLaren mill tailings pond area
to study the groundwater regime of the tailings. Water levels were monitored,
and each well was sampled periodically for water quality determinations.
Flow measurements, water level measurements, and water sampling contin-
ued throughout the winter and spring of 1973-74, as weather conditions per-
mitted. Most of the project sites were accessible only by snowmobile; exces-
sive snow depth and lost markers resulted in minimal data collection during
part of the season.
A late spring delayed field work in 1974 until July. Additional ob-
servation wells were installed at the mill and mine sites in August Three
stream-gauging stations were installed in August, one in each of the three
drainages involved below the AMD sources.
The 1975 field season included general geological review of the area and
investigation of several suspected area of natural acid water formation. The
hydrologic systems of the mine area were studied in more detail An under-
ground inspection of the Glengary mine was conducted, and a mobile auger,
contracted from the Montana Highway Department, was used for deeper drilling
in the mine areas. The auger also drilled 21 core and auger holes in the
McLaren mill tailings. A seepage run on Soda Butte Creek was made adjacent
to the tailings. Periodic sample collecting and streamflow and water level
measuring continued through September 1975.
During the field season of 1975, a biological study was conducted to
determine the existing degraded biological conditions of the streams within
the project area, and to determine the extent of reclamation necessary to
restore a viable fishery to the streams.
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SECTION 2
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
The factors influencing the extent of acid mine drainage in a subalpine
environment appear to be: (1) mining methods employed, (2) topographic
setting, (3) type and extent of mineralization, and (4) geologic setting
and association.
We believe that rehabilitation at the McLaren mine, Glengary mine, and
the McLaren mill sites is needed and feasible. The mine sites are above
2,743 m in a subalpine environment; the fragile nature of this type of
ecosystem has been recognized, but the development of adequate rehabili-
tation procedures is still in the preliminary experimental stage. Experi-
mental data from demonstration projects in this type of environment are
definitely needed, as preliminary data gathered by the U.S. Forest Service
show that introduced plant species are not capable of coping with the
environment and providing the vegetative cover needed for slope stabiliza-
tion. Projections of America's need for and potential supplies of mineral
commodities (USGS, 1975; Haggard, 1975; Carson, 1975) suggest that this
fragile environment will be further exploited for mining in the future.
Conclusions and recommendations for rehabilitation at the three sites
investigated are presented below.
McLaren Mine Area
During the 1975 water year (October 1, 1974 through September 30, 1975),
the McLaren mine area contributed 154,800 kg acidity, 220,600 kg sulfate,
and 14,500 kg of iron to Daisy Creek, a tributary of the Stillwater River.
The mine area (6.9 ha) included 96,000 m3 of disturbed mine material from
an open pit gold mine and an adit to a small underground mine. No fish or
benthic insects were found in Daisy Creek just below the mine. Even at a
site 3 km from the mine no fish were found, and the total of benthic insects
was severely reduced. Only two insects were found on four sampling dates.
A bioassay conducted at this site resulted in all ten fish dying within 24
hours. Heavy metal analysis of the fish tissues from the bioassay revealed
high concentrations of aluminum and copper, probably the cause of fish
mortality.
The major problem at the McLaren mine site is the ponding of snowmelt
and rainfall waters in the disturbed areas, resulting in runoff and ground-
water emerging with high, heavy metal concentrations. A reclamation plan
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for reducing polluted runoff and groundwater flows is to bury the high
sulfide materials in existing depressions and slope the disturbed area with
suitable cover material. The cover material should be treated with lime to
improve the plant-growing characteristics of the cover soil. The soil
should then be fertilized, planted with native seed or cuttings from plants,
and mulched to prevent erosion. Grading should be conducted in one year, and
those areas not seeded the first year should be covered with mulch to pre-
vent erosion. Any revegetation program should be coordinated with the
U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station at
Ogden, Utah.
The reclamation alternative also includes the construction of a lined
drain trench from the seeps at the base of the highwall across the dis-
turbed area, as well as a drain trench above the distrubed area to drain
runoff away from the area. It has been estimated that this reclamation
alternative would decrease the metal load that enters Daisy Creek by
79 percent. Cost of the reclamation at this site is estimated at $292,000:
Based upon the available information related to the mine area and the
present data available concerning revegetation in a subalpine environment,
it is recommended that a reclamation and revegetation program.be initiated
at the McLaren mine site as described in Section 6, Reclamation Alternatives.
In conjunction with the reclamation activities, surface and groundwater
should be monitored with respect to flow and quality, during and after
construction.
Glengary Mine Area
The Glengary mine area contributed 28,000 kg acidity, 54,400 kg
sulfate, 2,180 kg iron, and 1,720 kg aluminum to Fisher Creek during the
1975 water year. The major mine adit contributes almost half of these
pollutants except for iron. The iron discharge was greater from the adit
than that found in the creek, because the iron precipitated as the mine
water flowed to the creek sampling point. At a site on Fisher Creek 4 km
below the mine, a benthic insect survey showed 5.25 organisms per 0.08 m2,
as compared to 12 organisms at the control site. A 60-hour bioassay at this
site revealed no mortalities. The heavy metal concentrations in the flesh of
the bioassay fish were low at the Fisher Creek site.
Two sources of pollution in the Glengary mine^area are the mine adit
and the disturbed area near Lulu Pass. The major problem at the mine adit
is the infiltration into the mine from two raises and from groundwater
seeps through a fracture about 320 m from the portal. The problem at the
disturbed area near Lulu Pass is the ponding of snowmelt and rainfall waters
which eventually pass through the disturbed material. Some of the ponded
water could also be a source of groundwater to the mine.
A reclamation plan for the Glengary mine area involves regrading and
revegetating the disturbed area near Lulu Pass in a manner similar to the
reclamation plan for the McLaren mine area. The two raises to the mine
should be sealed, and the ground around the raises graded to slope away
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from the raises. The mine portals should be sealed with either a bulkhead
or air seal. An air seal reduces oxidation of pyrites in the mine and is not
a permanent seal if the mine is to be reopened. A bulkhead seal is not as
easy to remove as an air seal, and the flooded mine waters pose an AMD
problem if the bulkhead seal is removed. Reclamation should also include
grading and revegetating the mine dump near the outlet of the Glengary mine.
Grading and revegetating the disturbed area near Lulu Pass should
increase the runoff and decrease the production of acid load. It is
estimated that the acid load from the disturbed area whould be reduced by
90 percent. Cost of grading and revegetation is estimated at $95,700. An
air seal installed in the mine portals and grading should reduce the acid
load originating in the Fisher Creek drainage by 79 percent. A bulkhead
seal and grading should reduce discharge loads from the Fisher Creek
drainage by 93 percent. Cost of the air seal is $18,000 and a bulkhead
seal is $54,000.
It is recommended that the disturbed area near Lulu Pass be graded and
revegetated, the two mine raises the sealed, and an air seal be installed
in the mine portals of the Glengary mine. The mine dump near the Glengary
mine should be graded and revegetated. A monitoring program to gather
water quality and streamflow data should be conducted during and after
construction.
McLaren Mi 11 Area
Dur.ing 1975, the McLaren mill area contributed 337,900 kg sulfate, and
113,900 kg iron to Soda Butte Creek. The mill tailings area is 260 and 150
m, and the tailings depth ranges from 0.03 to 9.7 m. The total number of
benthic insects was severely reduced in Soda Butte Creek immediately below
the tailings. Full recovery of benthic insects occurred 20 km downstream.
Two 96-hour bioassays in Soda Butte Creek just below the tailings area
resulted in 100 percent mortality on the first test and 80 percent on the
second. Heavy metal analysis of the fish tissues revealed the iron
concentration to be at least seven times higher in fish at this site as
compared to fish from other sites. Iron appeared to be the cause of the
mortality.
The major source of AMD at the McLaren mill area is the mill tailings
pile. Water infiltrates the tailings material from Soda Butte Creek,
from snowmelt and rainfall, and from runoff from the drainage above the
tailings pile. Waters that enter the tailings, react with the sulfide
tailings minerals, and pass through the tailings, return as mineralized
springs, seeps, and groundwater, and degrade Soda Butte Creek below the
tailings pond.
Three different alternatives were examined for reducing the AMD into
Soda Butte Creek: (1) mill tailings removal, (2) effluent treatment, and
(3) infiltration control. The first alternative would remove all mill
tailings from their present location, revegetate the disturbed area, and
rechannel Soda Butte Creek back to its original channel. Removal of the
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tailings would effectively remove the source of AMD, and the heavy metal
loads entering Soda Butte Creek at the McLaren mill area would be reduced
100 percent. Disposal areas for the tailings material are old mine shafts,
a new location free from surface or groundwater infiltration, or concentrat-
ing and smeltering at East Helena, Montana. The cost of removing the tail-
ings and reshaping the area is estimated at $302,650; the cost of disposal
at old mines is $68,700, new location $139,400, and smelting $3,045,000.
The second alternative of effluent treatment consists of building two
dams and a typical lime treatment plant. This alternative should reduce iron
loads to Soda Butte Creek by 80 percent at an initial cost of $483,100 and
an annual maintenance cost of $29,300.
The last alternative for reducing heavy metal loads to Soda Butte Creek
is infiltration control. An impervious dam would be installed across the
lower (downstream) end of the tailings pile including the existing Soda Butte
Creek channel. The existing Soda Butte channel next to the tailings pile
should be filled, and a new sealed channel for the creek constructed immedi-
ately to the north of the existing channel. Thus, Soda Butte Creek would
be channeled around the tailings pile and above the dam. Once the channel
reaches the dam, a concrete drop structure would drop Soda Butte Creek
back to its existing channel. A drainage ditch on the hillside above the
tailings pile should be constructed to keep runoff from entering the
tailings. This alternative should reduce iron loads to Soda Butte Creek
by 95 percent at a cost of $156,610.
Recommendations for this site include the alternative for infiltration
control. Also recommended is a water quality and streamflow monitoring
program in Soda Butte Creek above and below the mill tailings pile
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SECTION 3
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Authority
Montana statutory authority to conduct a feasibility study is found in
Section 89-132, Revised Codes of Montana (R.C.M.) 1947. Subsections of that
Section, among other things, broadly empower the Montana Department of Natural
Resources and Conservation (DNRC):
(d) To accept from any federal agency grants for and in aid
of the carrying out of the purposes of this Act and any
Acts of "Congress". ...
(t) To make investigations and surveys of natural resources
and of opportunities for their conservation and development
and pay the costs of the same either from its own funds
or cooperatively with the federal government. . . .
The power of DNRC to enter into contracts for studies or investigations
with the federal government is clear and has been utilized on numerous
occasions for studies on different problem areas.
Site and Mineral Right Acquisition
The Montana DNRC has statutory authority to acquire the necessary sites
for project construction. Section 89-104, R.C.M. 1947, provides the power
to acquire by purchase, exchange, or condemnation "any land, rights, water
rights, easements, franchises, and other property considered necessary for
the construction, operation and maintenance of works." Section 89-102,
R.C.M. 1947, defines "works" very broadly and includes therein "all means of
conserving and distributing water," including those for purposes of
"irrigation, flood prevention, drainage, fish and wildlife, recreation. . . ."
Therefore, there is no question that DNRC has ample authority to acquire
such sites as might become necessary for project construction.
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SECTION 4
ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY
Cultural Environment
Mining History
The New World or Cooke City mining district, on the north boundary of
Yellowstone National Park, has seen periodic mining activity from the late
1870's until the Nott mill at the Glengary mine was destroyed in 1967. Ac-
tive mineral exploration and evaluation programs are being conducted in the
Daisy Pass and Lulu Pass areas north of Cooke City, sites of previous surface
and underground mining activities.
Current Social and Economic Conditions
The Cooke City acid mine project is located in Park County, Montana
approximately 100 km southeast of Livingston, Montana (Figure 1, page 9).
Portions of the project area lie within the Gallatin and Custer National
Forests. Three mine areas were studied. The McLaren mine site lies within
the Custer National Forest, while the Glengary mine and the McLaren mill
site are in the Gallatin National Forest. Recreational areas within the
national forest near the project area include three established camping
grounds.
Yellowstone National Park is located approximately 6.4 km from Cooke
City. U.S. Highway No. 212 passes through Cooke City to the northeast
entrance to the Park. This highway brings many tourists that travel
Interstate 90 to Yellowstone Park.
Recreation within the project area is limited to snowmobiling and cross-
country skiing in the winter months. During the summer, recreation includes
sightseeing, fishing, camping, and hiking.
The general economy of the area is based on tourism. During the summer
months nearly all of the motels and hotels in Cooke City and Silver Gate are
filled with tourists or retired people who spend the summer months in the
area enjoying the cool climate and recreational opportunities that the area
offers. In the winter months, most public facilities are closed with a few
motels and cafes remaining open for those who use the area for winter sports.
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V£>
FIGURE I. Location of the study area.
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Treatment of the AMD will probably not result in an increase in
industrial activity or an increase in population due to better water quality.
Yellowstone National Park and the National Forests are immediately downstream
from the project areas, and their rules and regulations will prevent any
increase in permanent population as well as any industry. However, removal
of AMD will improve streams such that more kilometers are able to sustain
fisheries. This in turn may result in an overall increase in use and may
help to reduce the use of other overfished streams.
Physical Environment
Introduction
The New World mining district, which encompasses the three study sites
of the Cooke City Acid Mine Drainage Control-Feasibility Study, lies on the
southwest edge of the rugged Beartooth Mountains; the equally rugged Absaroka
Range of Wyoming lies on the south, Yellowstone National Park is southwest
of the district, and the Absaroka Range of Montana lies to the north and
northwest of the district.
Valley floors range in altitude from 2,286 to 2,743 m, and numerous
mountain peaks and ridges rise above 3,350 m. Glaciation has carved many
characteristic U-shaped valleys and has left hanging valleys and cirque
basins in many areas. Three drainage basins of the Yellowstone River system
have their headwaters in the New World mining district, and each also in-
cludes one of the three study sites.
The McLaren mill tailings pond is on the east edge of Cooke City on
Soda Butte Creek (Figure 2, page 11), which flows into the northeast corner
of Yellowstone National Park and joins the Lamar River. The tailings pond
is at about 2,317 m altitude.
The McLaren mine site, at an altitude of approximately 2,940 m an the
southwest slope of Fisher (Red) Mountain, is in a part of the drainage that
forms the headwaters of the Stillwater River. Daisy Creek, which begins near
the mine area, flows westward for about 5 km before joining the Stillwater
River, which then runs north through the proposed Absaroka-Beartooth Wilder-
ness and joins the Yellowstone River near Big Timber, Montana.
The Glengary mine area is at the headwaters of Fisher Creek, which
flows southeast about 8 km and joins with Lady of the Lake Creek to form the
Clarks Fork Yellowstone River. The Clarks Fork flows southeast into the
Sunlight Basin in Wyoming before swinging northward and eventually joining
the Yellowstone River near Billings, Montana, The main Glengary adit is
at 2,834 m, and the upper part of the study area is at about 2,987 m on
Lulu Pass.
The climate is typical of mid-latitude, high altitude areas in the
Rocky Mountains. Snow can be found at higher elevations throughout the year;
several small glaciers and snow fields are found northeast of the district.
Snow depths of 1,770 mm or more have been measured at Cooke City, and more
10
-------
RI4E
RISE
45°
Yl Scotch Banretj'V- \^M^
^__ -
j? r'teh.^ f Nj, ^V'-j;;.. , SOOsiC^J . _
; ^l. ~»» : ~s«<* "'-
/ Bull of! h£ Woods ,,.,£r™ \ \
'•-^/ Ss£tt&
Location of the study area showing
Cooke City, the McLaren and Glengary
mine areas, and the McLaren mill
tailings pond.
n
-------
than 4,570 mm of snow has been measured in the areas above 2,940 m. Drifts
of as much as 23 m have been reported (Levering, 1929) in the pass areas
around Cooke City.
The months of July through September provide ideal working weather, and
the project areas are easily accessible by two- ard four-wheel drive
vehicles over moderately rough roads. Snowmobiles provide the main means of
transportation to the sites from Cooke City during most of the other months.
The Cooke City-Gardiner highway is kept open throughout the year.
A mean annual precipitation of 675 mm and a mean annual temperature of
1°C are reported at Cooke City. Cooler temperatures and more precipitation
(more than 1,500 mm) are encountered at the higher elevations of the mine
sites. Precipitation data for the study period are presented in Appendix B.
Mine Areas
Introduction
The two mine areas studied, the McLaren mine, a predominately open pit
operation and the Glengary mine (also known as the Como ore body), predomi-
nately an underground operation, are discussed in parallel fashion to better
compare and contrast the factors affecting reclamation.
Physical Resources and Conditions
Location. The mines are located in sec. 2, 10, and 11, T 9 S , R. 14
E., Park County, Montana. Both are within U.S. National Forests. The Mc-
Laren mine area, which drains into an unnamed tributary (informally called
Daisy Creek in this report) of the Stillwater River, is at an altitude of
2,940 m and is in the Custer National Forest. The Glengary mine area, which
drains into Fisher Creek, a tributary of the Clarks Fork Yellowstone River,
is at an altitude of 2,970 m and is in the Gallatin National Forest The
locations of the mines are shown in Figure 2, page 11.
Metals Recovered, Ground Disturbed, and Exploration Holes Drilled Both
mines were primarily gold mines but yielded some copper and silver—The
McLaren mine area encompasses approximately 8.1 hectares (ha), and an
estimated 96,000 mj of material was disturbed or removed by mining Under-
ground workings were almost destroyed by the surface mining operations; one
collapsed adit is still recognizable (sample site 108) just above the point
where the road forks (Figure 3, page 13) and a minor amount of water is dis-
charged from this adit.
The major disturbed areas at the Glengary mine area (Figure 4, page 14)
on Lulu Pass cover about 3 ha; several smaller mine dumps are adjacent to
the main disturbed area. Total volume of disturbed material is approximately
14,000 m3, most resulting from very shallow trenching and mine-road con-
struction. A significant portion of the disturbed volume came from the adits
and drifts. At only two or three places do ore and waste materials have much
depth. The site is drained principally by surface flows from the impound-
ment adjacent to the disturbed area and by a trench from the disturbed area.
12
-------
Meters
50
100
Observation well
Sample site
Auger hale
Diamond drill hole
Mine adit
Major disturbed
area
id on Montana Highway
nt atrtal photograph .
J.J. Wallac*
FIGURE 3
Sketch of the McLaren mine area.
-------
Meters
0 50 IOO
© Observation well
A Sample site
A Auger hole
. ' Diamond drill hole
X Mine adit
Disturbed area
(malar) (minor)
Map bated on Montana Highway
Department aerial photograph.
J J Wallace
Approximate location of mine
FIGURE
Sketch of the Glengary mine area
-------
The Scotch Bonnet adits have collapsed, and the amount of open workings
behind the portals is unknown. The Glengary adit was mapped throughout its
horizontal extent. The drift is predominantly 1.8 m wide and 2.1 m high,
requiring the removal of approximately 3,000 m3 of waste material. Part of
this volume is replaced by unconsolidated iron hydroxide precipitates whose
density is estimated at 1.5 grams/cubic centimeters; roughly 400 m3 of this
material is present, predominantly in the Tower 300 m of the drift. A map
showing the drift and the major zones of water leakage is presented in
Figure 5, page 16. The water-inflow estimates are valid only for the late
fall conditions. A greater percentage of the water may come through the
manways (raises) during the spring runoff period.
The mining areas have been drilled by at least two exploration companies
(Bear Creek Exploration and Mine Finders Incorporated). The locations and
depths of the holes were not released by the companies, but the locations of
all drill holes noted during this study are marked on the site maps. Active
mining is not foreseen in the near future for either of these areas. The
Como ore body does contain reasonable metal values and might be mined at
some future date. The biggest drawback to mining in this area is haulage
cost. A new mill would have to be built, and concentrate would have to be
hauled to Red Lodge, as the Gardiner spur of the Burlington Northern Railroad
has been shut down.
Geology
Introduction. The geology of southwest part of the Cooke City
quadrangle was mapped by James Elliott (1973) during the four summers from
1969 through 1972. A preliminary field check of Elliott's map was in
agreement with all major features. Due to limited field time, emphasis was
placed upon the overall relationships between Tertiary felsite intrusive
breccia and the occurrence of sulfide mineralization while stratigraphic
contacts of specific Cambrian formations, and petrologic variations of the
Tertiary igneous units were not emphasized.
The geologic map presented (Figure 6, page 17) is based upon Elliott's
map with minor changes. More important to this investigation is the fact
that the sulfide mineralization is concentrated along the contact of
intrusive breccia with carbonate country rock. The sulfide concentrations
are the result of hydrothermal interaction and are greatest in the country
rock adjacent to the intrusive breccia, decreasing in both directions away
from the contact.
McLaren Mine. The McLaren property is on the southwestern side of
Fisher Mountain where the Park Shale and Meagher Limestone are believed to
be in contact with the felsitic breccia. Small sills of the breccia may be
found in roadcuts and in the mining face, where breccia has intruded along
and across bedding planes in the Park Shale. Field evidence for contact
between the felsite breccia and predominantly carbonate (basal Park Shale
or upper Meagher Limestone) units is sparse; but: (1) northwest of the mine
area a ditch exposes weathered felsite and a reddish-brown residual soil
believed to have developed on limestone, and (2) in the trail switchback,
just above the northwestern end of the mine area, the breccia sills intrude
15
-------
.RAISES
EXPLODED
VIEW OF
CROSSCUT
RAISES
CROSSCUT'
, BOARD-COVERED
BROKEN GROUND
10% FOR OTHER
DIFFUSE LEAKAGE
317m MAJOR ROOF LEAK
(CORE HOLE ?) 22%
PLAN VIEW
SCALE
METERS 100
FIGURE 5
Relative percentage of water
in the lower Glengary tunnel
16
-------
FIGURE 6 Geologic map of sec. II and part of sec. 2,
T. 9 S., R. 14 E.f near Cooke City, Montana,
after Elliott (1973).
17
-------
Ti
Tdi
Tdp
KEY TO FIGURE 6
(Elliott, 1973)
MINE WASTE—Mine dumps and mill tailings
ALLUVIUM (HOLOCENE)--Unconsolidated deposits of silt, sand,
gravel, and boulders along stream valleys
UNDIFFERENTIATED SURFICIAL DEPOSITS (HOLOCENE)--Principally
talus, colluvium, and glacial deposits of neoglacial origin
MORAINAL DEPOSITS (PLEISTOCENE)--Till and fluvioglacial de-
posits undifferentiated
DIKES (EOCENE)
Andesite, trachyandesite, and basalt—Usually porphyritic
with aphanitic groundmass
Dacite—Porphyritic with fine-grained to aphanitic ground-
mass
INTRUSIVE BRECCIAS (EOCENE)
Felsite intrusive breccia—Mostly monolithologic, altered,
pyritized, aphanitic complex on Fisher Mountain, locally
weakly porphyritic with altered plagioclase phenocrysts
Intrusive breccias on Henderson Mountatn^Heterolithologic
with igneous fragments ranging from dacite to andesite
in composition and fragments of Precambrian gneiss and
Cambrian sediments, locally much altered and mineralized
STOCKS AND SILLS (EOCENE)
Diorite—Stocks and irregular bodies, mostly equigranular,
fine grained, and dark colored, plagioclase and pyroxene
are dominant. Sills laccolith, and irregular-shaped
masses r
Dacite porphyry--Fine grained to aphanitic groundmass, light
colored, variable alteration, plagioclase, hornblende and/
or biottte phenocrysts common
18
-------
Dacite porphyry with quartz "eyes"—Similar to dacite por-
phyry (Tdp) but with abundant rounded quartz phenocrysts
Andesite porphyry—Principally in sills, light to medium
green, much altered, plagioclase, clinopyroxene and/or
hornblende phenocrysts common
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS (CAMBRIAN)
Snow Range Formation (upper Cambrian)—Shale, limestone—
I—TTT—I pebble conglomerate, limestone and dolomite, thin bedded,
i I includes Grove Creek Member at top approximately 70 m in
thickness
Pilgrim Limestone (upper Cambrian)—Limestone and limestone-
| -Cpj pebble conglomerate, thick bedded, approximately 76 m in
thickness
Park Shale (middle Cambrian)--Shale and limestone, thin bed-
ded, approximately 76 m in thickness
Meagher Limestone (middle Cambrian)—Limestone, thin bedded,
approximately 30 m in thickness
Wolsey Shale (middle Cambrian)—Shale and sandstone, thin
bedded, approximately 55 m in thickness
Flathead Sandstone (middle Cambrian)—Sandstone, medium bed-
ded, approximately 30 m in thickness
PRECAMBRIAN METASEDIMENTS
Granitic rocks (PRECAMBRIAN W)—Mainly granitic gneiss, minor
p-Cg | schist, amphibolite, and quartzite, weakly to strongly
foliated
Contact—Dashed where approximately located; short dashed
where inferred
Fault—Dashed where approximately located; short dashed where
inferred; dotted where concealed. Ball and bar on down-
thrown side
20
Strike and dip of inclined beds
19
-------
limestone, which may or may not be in place. The main wall of the mine con-
tains altered limestone beds affected by both dikes and sills of f el site and
"andesite" (possibly dacite), which are offset by thin sulfide-filled fault
zones showing minor displacement (less than 0.3 m in most places). Most of
the intrusive rocks within the mined area are altered by the hydrothermal
solutions.
Two types of hydrothermal alteration were recognized at the mine. The
product of propylitic alteration, as used in this report, consists predomi-
nantly of chlorite, but minor epidote or calcite is locally present; it is
always associated with magnetite and pyrite in varying amounts. Argil lie
alteration produces a mixture of kaolinite and montmorillonite and minor
amounts of chlorite or quartz. At the McLaren, the arquillic alteration may
?e ea|l]y traced because the bleaching effect (argillic zones are dirty beige
to off-white) contrasts vividly with the reddish-brown hematitic staining of
the propylitic alteration zone. The offsets and bulbous shapes of these two
alteration zones indicate areas of post-mineralization faulting and of local
variation of mineralogy or porosity within the host rock.
. $ul fide minerals seen on the surface at the McLaren mine are concentrated
il^tSTl lu alteratlon ?one. Pyritic replacement bodies seem to be
hut H cc! • .^ ca?2nat? layers Wlthin tne Park Shale, whereas pervasive
but disseminated sulfide minerals characterize the propylitized shale In
contrast, the exposed argillic alteration zone contains very sparse sulfide
minerals.
lust SlT^in1^; The,Glen9?ry area is at the north end of Fl'sher Mountain,
just below Lulu Pass, and on the eastern end of Scotch Bonnet Mountain. Much
msjn^s; fi» %?%?& SRI Ph£ ^]-
^
I">Vti1n1n» Is far Lss Inten e Ehan
noted as
a
suggests that the porphyry was intruded after the diorite floSt adiacent
to the propylitic zone shows only minor evidence fchloHtP ™H on?H«J!??U
of hydrothermal alteration. No evidence of altLit?^ , f 5pl-do!S (?))
porphyry outcrop. The dumped wS^T'belL'thSldt! 1 JMS" pyHt c'and
appears similar to the mineralized rock at the McLaren mine Py
20
-------
Photo 1. Upper Glengary mine area showing disturbed area.
-------
IX)
ro
Photo 2. Upper Glengary mine area showing collapsed mine adit.
-------
The Tertiary dacite, mapped by Elliott (1973) as being in fault contact
with the felsite breccia, was not noted during the geologic investigation.
The drift from the lower Glengary tunnel passes through about 460 tn of
felsite before the boundary with diorite is reached. The diorite (field
identification by mine lamp) may be Elliott's dacite or the Scotch Bonnet
diorite, but the presence of mafic phenocrysts (amphiboles (?)) and fairly
coarse texture led to the diorite identification. The contact between the
felsite and the diorite was not observed, probably because it is obscured
by the goethitic coating on the mine walls. Within the diorite, a shear
zone filled with chlorite and hydrothermal biotite was encountered just
before the eight-post raise (Figure 5, page 16). Minor sulfide minerals
are present in both mineral phases of the shear zone.
The disturbed area below Lulu Pass (Photo 1, page 21} contains several
erosional cuts through zones of argil lie alteration. The clays have a blue-
grey hue caused by finely disseminated sulfide minerals. This is a definite
contrast to the near absence of sulfide minerals in the zone of argil!ic
alteration at the McLaren mine.
Hydrology
Introduction. Weather conditions at the higher elevations of the
McLaren and Glengary mine areas precluded installation of observation wells
and gauging stations and general reconnaissance of the areas until late July
and August 1974. One field trip in September 1974 was cut short by an early
fall snow storm, and field work was suspended, although visits to the stream
and observation-well sites for sample collection and streamflow measurements
continued. The heavy spring snows and near-record snowpack in 1975 resulted
in atypical runoff conditions.
The principal source of water flowing through or over the disturbed areas
of the McLaren and Glengary mines is snowmelt. Rainfall contributes a small
amount during the sunnier months, but no continuous records are available for
the areas at this time. Precipitation, including snowfall, at the higher
elevations of the mine areas is greater than that measured at Cooke City.
McLaren Mine. The McLaren mine area (Figure 3, page 13) includes
approximately 8.1 ha, and about 96,000 m3 of disturbed material (Photo 3S
page 24) cover the area. Dumps and waste piles form a hummocky topography
in the area. The site is drained by surface flows and seepage through the
disturbed areas.
Recharge by snowmelt infiltration above the McLaren mine area is
probably not enough to support a year-round groundwater flow at the mine area.
At site 101 (Figure 3, page 13), at the base of the back wall at the dis-
turbed area, is a flow that is believed to come from a fracture or joint
system in the bedrock. (The bedrock is covered by talus material.) This
flow and the flow at site 105 were the first to go dry (Table 1, page 25),
indicating that the groundwater supply above the mine area had been depleted.
The surface sites went dry approximately two months after the last snowbanks
above the sites had melted. Sites 102, 103, 104, and 107 were dry by
23
-------
Photo 3. McLaren mine area showing disturbed area.
-------
TABLE i. MCLAREN MINE AREA STREAMFLOW DATA dps)
Date
07/25/74
08/13/74
09/16/74
10/15/74
11/19/74
01/23/75
02/18/75
05/15/75
05/28/75
06/07/75
06/12/75
06/18/75
07/01/75
07/18/75
07/31/75
08/05/75
08/12/75
08/20/75
08/27/75
09/05/75
09/09/75
09/23/75
101
.7
.3
^X * L
db
d
d
d
d
__
s
--
s
__
--
.3
.6
.5
.3
.1
u
u
u
102
6.2
1.7
—
.4
d
d
d
d
—
s
--
s
--
2.8
2.8
1.4
1.4
.9
.6
.4
.3
.3
Site no,
103
_.a
—
--
4.5
d
d
--
d
--
s
--
s
--
5.7
4.0
2.3
1.7
.9
.9
1.1
.6
— —
. (see Figure 3}
104 105
29.2
3.7
.9
1.2
d
sd
s
s
—
s
—
s
—
12.2
6.5
5.1
2.3
1.7
.9
1.1
1.4
.3
2.8
.6
.1
d
d
d
d
d
--
s
--
s
__
--
2.3
.6
.2
u
u
u
u
u
107
6.2
2.0
.3
.3
uc
u
s
s
--
s
—
s
—
--
3.1
.9
1.7
.6
1.1
.6
.3
u
108
.6
.1
.3
.5
.1
s
s
s
—
s
--
s
--
2.3
1.4
.6
.5
.3 '
.9
.4
.3
.3
109
92.6
29.7
6.5
4.5
2.2
2.2
2.2
6.0
6.0
56.9
31.7
47.6
173.0
166.0
51.6
33.4
18.1
18.1
11.9
9.1
9.1
5.1
a Dash indicates no record
b d indicates dry
c u indicates immeasurable small
d s indicates snow covered
flow
25
-------
November 1974, indicating further depletion of the groundwater supply and a
lowering of the water table in these areas.
The hydrology of the disturbed area seems to be complex. As reported
by Higgins (1974), some of the surface areas seem to be slightly sealed by
clay formed by physical disintegration and chemical weathering of the
material. This is especially true in some depressions, which tend to fill
with water from the melting snow. Infiltration into the spoils from these
ponds seems to be relatively slow. The largest depression between sites
101 and 102 had a surface outflow, although another depression about 100 m
north of site 102 did not have a surface outflow. The latter depression
went dry about the same time that the snow melted from it, suggesting that
infiltration rates nearly matched the snowmelt rates.
Five of the six observation wells in the disturbed area were relatively
dry when installed and have remained dry. Auger holes drilled for spoils
samples (Figure 3, page 13) in September 1975 did not encounter water. This
suggests that there is a seasonal flow of water through the wastes at those
sites. If a water table is established in the wastes, it is probably a
shallow, fast-moving groundwater system that coincides with the duration of
the snowmelt and drains completely out of the upper 5 m of the spoils
material soon after the snow is all melted.
Well 110, about 55 m south of site 101, was dug to apparent bedrock,
and water was encountered in that hole. Between August and November, a
^irill ,,!i inV'n ?e ?a ter level was noted (Table 2' Page 27>' suggesting
that the well water-level was in equilibrium with a water table, possibly
a perched water table of small extent. The water at site 110 could also
ThP f,1n£ V f!;actu!:e system 1n the bedrock beneath the waste material.
hn?P JnXrJ- *?T?l0pe fr°m Site 110 dried up before the observation
rock'in^H n?9f nt -he ^te[ \S returni"9 to deep fractures in the bed-
rock instead of following the bedrock surface to the seep sites.
* nn J ^ll1^11 * minei"als-exploration diamond drill rig in the area
reported that the first several hundred meters of rock were intensely
eek ' ""0" or as seeps
from thl'ml^HI^^0!; °f the th1ck"e" <* unconsoll dated material
The bia l,™rJ«n ^.fractures in the igneous and sedimentary
me big summer snowmelt is almost entirely runoff aithmmh cnrfa
l
26
-------
TABLE 2. MCLAREN MINE OBSERVATION WELL, NO. noa
Date
08/13/74
09/16/74
10/15/74
11/19/74
01/23/75
02/18/75
05/15/75
05/28/75
06/07/75
06/12/75
06/18/75
07/01/75
07/18/75
07/31/75
08/05/75
08/12/75
08/20/75
08/27/75
09/05/75
09/09/75
09/23/75
Depth to water
(m)
2.94
3.38
3.50
3.61
sb
s
s
s
s
s
c
—
3.12
3.20
3.28
3.36
3.40
3.49
3.56
3.59
3.60
? Wells 111 through 115 remained dry
s indicates snow covered
c Dash indicates no record
27
-------
ro
Colluvium and residuum
very thin or absent
Felsite
breccia
aisy Creek
Colluvium
Boggy in
fall;/seeps
Cambrian
sedimentary
rocks
Intrusive dacite
FIGURE 7 Schematic cross section showing the thickness of
unconsolidated deposits at the McLaren mine area.
-------
the dacite porphyry, and (3) within the lower part of the colluvium. Toward
the end of summer, visible seepage in the spoils area and the upper part of
the exposed dacite disappears. The seepage continues in the lower part of
the exposed dacite for longer than would be expected, based upon comparisons
with "similar" topographic settings nearby. This is believed to result from
the accumulation of ferric hydroxide crust upon the bedrock, which probably
retards the discharge of groundwater stored within the fractured dacite. By
fall, groundwater storage has declined, and the water table within the dacite
no longer intersects the land surface; groundwater discharge is essentially
restricted to the colluvial areas near the stream channel. The boggy areas
result from decreased permeability in the vicinity of the stream channel;
the permeability decrease is attributed both to the finer size of colluvial
material as the distance from its source increases and the drainage gradient
decreases, and to the buildup of hydroxide precipitates within and adjacent
to the streambed.
The hydrograph for Daisy Creek at the weir (site 109) is presented in
Figure 8, page 30, for the period of record. The drainage area is approxi-
mately 0.9 km2 and recorded flows range from 2.2 to 173 liters per
second (Ips). The estimated peak flow at this station was 270 Ips on
July 10, 1975. The stream characteristics seem to be fairly typical of
small subalpine watersheds in mountainous areas.
Snow cores were collected with the aid of the Soil Conservation Service's
Snow Survey Supervisor, Phillip E. Fames, on May 14, 1975. Two samples
were taken on the McLaren site, by the cabin at the fork in the road (Lake
Abundance turnoff), and one up on the open pit bench, roughly 5 m from the
face. The cores contained 1,158 and 1,181 mm of water equivalent (after 10
percent reduction for the shape of the cutting device), and the snowpack
depths were 2,730 and 2,770 mm respectively. The average annual streamflow
at site 109 was estimated to be slightly more than 0.50 cubic hectometers
per year, and annual precipitation should be on the order of 1,800 to
2,000 mm per year, of which roughly two-thirds is snow. Precipitation
at the mine site should be approximately three times greater than that
recorded at Cooke City.
Glengary Mine. The major disturbed areas at the Glengary mine {Figure
4 and Photo 1, pages 14 and 21) on Lulu Pass cover about 3.0 ha; several
smaller mine dumps are adjacent to the main disturbed area. Total volume
of disturbed material is approximately 14,000 nP. Most of the disturbed
surface has resulted from very shallow trenching and mine-road construction.
At only two or three places do ore and waste materials have much depth. The
upper mining area is drained principally by surface flows from the impound-
ment adjacent to the disturbed area and by a trench from the disturbed area.
A water level (Table 3, page 31) was established in well 210 (Figure 4,
page 14), indicating that a water table exists in that area at shallow depth,
at least during the part of the year when the well could be found. Seeps
occur downslope from the well and flow into the main drainage from the area
(sites 204 and 206). Disturbed ground near the lower adit includes deposits
of iron oxide precipitates at the mouth of the adit (site 205), a main
dump having a volume of about 7,300 m3, and the remains of settling ponds
below the old mill site.
29
-------
1000
100
o
JFMAMJ d A S
J A S 0 N D
1974
FIGURE e Hydrograph for Daisy Creek at
site 109, McLaren mine area.
30
-------
TABLE 3. GLENGARY MINE OBSERVATION WELLS
Date
09/16/74
10/14/74
05/14/75°
05/28/75
06/07/75
06/12/75
06/18/75
06/22/75
07/01/75
07/19/75
08/01/75
08/05/75
08/12/75
08/20/75
08/27/75
09/06/75
09/09/75
09/23/75
210
1.36
1.76
d
--
__
--
--
1.41
1.32
1.36
1.42
1.45
1.43
1.42
1.41
1.41
1.41
1.51
Depth to water (m) for well no.
211
dh
__b
d
--
--
--
--
0.88
0.55
0.46
0.72
1.03
1.54
2.04
2.33
d
d
d
212
d
--
d
—
--
--
--
--
—
1.25
1.48
1.51
1.52
1.55
1.61
1.64
1.64
d
J* d indicates dry well
Dash indicates no record
c November 1974 through April 1975; all three wells remained dry
31
-------
The head of Fisher Creek, at the upper workings, is bowl-shaped and may
be of glacial origin. A small pond in the base of the bowl collects melt-
water in the spring and summer. It is believed that this ground is never
frozen in the winter and that it is a major entry point for meltwater into
the groundwater system. Snowmelt and precipitation contribute enough water
to the bedrock groundwater system to cause a fairly constant outflow from the
lower Glengary adit (site 205) as shown in Table 4, page 31.
The lower Glengary drift was mapped. The results of this survey are
shown in Figure 5, page 16, The drift is very well preserved considering
that it was driven in the early 1930's. Large deposits of iron precipitates
are present on the floor, especially closer to the adit. Major sources of
water infow are the raises (over half of flow), which probably interconnected
with the surface, and a major roof leak at 312 m. The underground workings
act as collectors and conduits to discharge the groundwater at the adit
(Figure 5, page 16). The formations in the raises are reported to be ex-
tensively fractured, with seepage occurring along most of the raises.
The zones of water inflow, discussed in the geology section, are be-
lieved to be one of the major pathways for groundwater discharge from the
area below Lulu Pass. A second pathway, groundwater flow through the uncon-
solidated Quaternary materials, must also be considered. The greatest
amount of water probably moves through the gravel underlying the stream
channel (often referred to as underflow). It is difficult to measure under-
flow, and such studies were judged to be beyond the scope and budget of this
program. It is believed that the annual groundwater flow through the un-
consolidated materials from the upper workings to the lower adit consitutes
less than 20 percent of the annual surface water flow.
The hydrograph for Fisher Creek at the weir site (site 207) is presented
,in Figure 9, page 34. for the period of record. The drainage area is
approximately 1.3 km*, and recorded flows range from 3.1 to 283 IDS. The
estimated peak flow at this station was approximately 420 Ips on July 5,
19/5. The stream characteristics seem to be fairly typical of small sub-
alpine watersheds in mountainous areas.
Snow cores were collected as described previously. Water equivalents
ranged from 899 mm at the head of the bowl (cirque) to 1,670 mm near the
creek at the altitude of site 205. The two samples in the upper disturbed
area averaged 955 mm of water, and the sample at the weir contained 1,180 mm
of water. Actual snowfall and total annual precipitation in the study area
of Fisher Creek may be somewhat greater than at the McLaren site, owing to
its slightly higher altitude and leeward position with respect to the pre-
vailing winds. Precipitation data collected by the Soil Conservation Service
at their Fisher Creek gauging station (altitude roughly 2,700 m) averaged
1,670 nrn annually for an eight-year period of record; these data are
presented in Table 5, page 35.
32
-------
TABLE 4. FISHER CREEK AREA STREAMFLOW DATA (Ips)
Date
07/26/74
09/16/74
10/14/74
11/20/74
12/18/74
01/22/75
02/04/75
02/18/75
03/20/75
04/15/75
05/14/75
05/28/75
06/07/75
06/12/75
06/18/75
06/22/75
07/01/75
07/19/75
08/01/75
08/05/75 <
08/12/75 <
08/20/75
08/27/75
09/06/75
09/09/75
09/23/75
201
a
~i>
dc
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
--
__
__
—
—
__
.6
.9
.1
.1
u
u
u
u
u
202
_ —
u
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
--
'
—
—
1.1
—
20.1
12.5
9.1
6.5
1.1
1.1
.3
.6
u
Site
203
_ ..
.2
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
--
-- .
--
--
—
—
— ""
—
3.1
.6
2.3
.6
.6
u
no.
204
__
.5
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
--
--
--
--
'
20.4
7.1
11.1
4.3
3.1
.9
1.4
d
205
_-
3.5
2.2
2-2
sd
s
2.3
s
s
s
1.2
--
--
--
1.9
1.7e
7,1
14.7
7.9
6.8
3.7
1.4
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.0
206
--
.2
.5
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
--
--
--
--
--
--
7.9
3.2
3.4
1.7
.9
.6
.6
.1
207
96.3
12.2
8.5
4.4
4.5
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
12.2
8.8
24.6
82.7
106.2
71.7
283.2
164.8
66.3
16.4
14.2
16.1
15.9
9.4
11.3
25.2
j* Dash indicates no
b u indicates
J- d indicates
d s indicates
e Estimated
record
immeasurable small
dry
snow
covered
flow
33
-------
1000
It)
a.
O
10
J A S 0 N D
1974
OFMAMJ JAS
1975
FIGURE 9 Hydrograph for Fisher CreeK at
site 207, Glengary mine area.
-------
CO
en
TABLE 5. PRECIPITATION DATA FROM SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE STORAGE PRECIPITATION GAUGE,
FISHER CREEK DRAINAGE BASIN.
Water Year
Month
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
TOTAL
1967
48. 3a
205.2
131.1
418.1
186.2
245.6
108.7
193.0
150.0
61.0
17.8
40.6
1805.6
1968
145.3
157.7
170.7
180.3
150.9
101.9
67.6
96.5
149.6
50.8
139.7
111.3
1522.3
1969
78.7
162.8
192.5
363.7
82.3
61.0
83.8
83.8
165.1
76.2
20.3
53.9
1424.1
1970
73.7
112.5
138.4
354.8
118.9
164.9
165.1
79.5
92.5
59.4
18.8
132.1
1510.6
1971
60.7
275.1
228.9
390.9
174.8
248.9
98.0
45.5
40.4
74.2
78.7
102.4
1818.5
1972
81.8
141.7
252.0
408.2
254.3
190.3
247.9
90.0
85.3
59. 2C
70. 6C
152. 2C
2033.5
1973
72.1
92.5
184.4
102.6
84.3
98.6
194.1
120.7
100.6
36. 8C
36. lc
103. lc
1225.9
1974
63.8
275.1
162.1
292.6
141.7
450.6
188.7
158.2
121.7
68.1
65. 5C
28. 5C
2016.6
1975
— b
-• «
_ __
283.7
195.6
^_
— — m
— _
M «•
M Ml
--
* Data is in m. The gauge is at 2,698 m elevation
D Dash indicates no data recorded
c Estimates monthly totals from Mystic Lake and Cooke City data
-------
Water Chemistry
Data Base. A compilation of partial chemical analyses for water samples
from the mine areas is shown in Appendix E. Those components with few
samples are not listed. During 1973, some of the samples collected were run
for only the expected heavy metals. Complete standard analyses for Ca, Mg,
NaifiKl*F5'rMnt ?]4 S1°2> HC°3' S°4' C1» F> and N°3 were run on samples
collected from 1974 on, except for samples collected the first and second
weeks in June 1975, when only total recoverable iron samples were collected.
All ot these data are available from the Montana DNRC.
Snow samples were collected in mid-May to be used to estimate precipi-
tation loads of heavy metals and major elements and snowpack water available
for runoff. The chemical analyses, listed in Appendix F, indicate a
significant fallout source of chloride and sulfate.
nf lJ!rC!!!!rJ™\!!each1iq the Stream- In Ord^ to calculate the percentage
?hal ^»i?5 "9 ? surfaceuwaters three assumptions were necessary: (1)
that sulfide minerals were the sole source of sulfur other than the 11.3 mg/1
sulEIS ±p6 f0" S;|1^%ini.thMnOW; (2) that pyrite was the predominant9
watlr !E!n«ak and,(H that !UlKUr as sulfate) remained dissolved in the
water. Using Jtoe data for September 16, 1974, a value of 49.5 percent was
obtained for the amount of dissolved iron, released by weathering/which
fn Ann^d^f nhen,nheiS,«rfa^ ^^ ™* calculation? involved are presented
in Appendix D, page 138. Figure 10, page 37, is a plot for determining the
ThPrCdatt9nnLT rhleaS6d £ th/ S9mpl1ng point b* the weathertngTpyHte.
Id?t ?StJ JR^ ?°Wn ?• Jhe T9Ure are for samPles collected at the mine
adit (site 205) along Fisher Creek. Both dissolved and total recoverable
iron are shown It is noted that for the average sample only ISt one-half
of the iron released by pyrite dissolution weathering reaches the mine portal .
IL^p'T 6S7?r Wh1C!l th/ J°ta1 ^ecove^ble iron TransporEeds greater
than or equal to 75 percent of the released iron (calculated) were all
collected on the rising limb of the adit discharge. Th s suaaests that some
1n the tun"el ** transpo'riedout "
The Mixing of Dissimilar Stream Waters
Mixing of surface waters occurs within or adjacent to' the sitP arpa<;
The mixing of mining-affected surface waters with essentially unaffected
waters from adjacent tributaries may have differing effect depending upon
the composition of the waters. The most corunon result of such mix nq Is the
precipitation of ferric hydroxide and other heavy metals downstream from
the intersection of the two streams. This reaction is believed to result
from the catalytic effect of the hydroxyl ion concentration (StumS and
' '
iQ7y, An.??arnPie from Fisher Creek based on data collected on September 16
1974, will suffice to show the effectiveness of mixing reaction? uobn iron
concentrations. Flow from the adit (site 205} was 3.4 Ips, and the
36
-------
350 -
FLOW =0.007 tnVs
75mj/I F* (both)
35Smg/l
FLOW=0.002m*/s
FLOW=O.OI5mVa
DISSOLVED IRON
TOTAL RECOVERABLE IRON
ll.3mg/l S<>4 favtrog* volu* in (now)
30
Fefrng/l)
FIGURE 10 Iron versus sulfate plot for water samples collected at the
lower adit (site 205), Glengory mine area. The heavy lines indicate the
percentage of the iron, liberated by pyrite oxidation, which reached
the sampling site.
37
-------
dissolved iron concentration was 45.3 mg/1. Downstream 365 ra, at site 207,
the flow had increased to 12.2 Ips, and the dissolved iron content had
decreased to 4.0 mg/1. This represents a minimum decrease of 68 percent of
the dissolved iron content in the water and is equivalent to an annual
precipitation of approximately 3.3 metric tons of iron within the 365 m
stream reach.
Discussion
The two mine areas will be discussed together to emphasize their
differences in water quality. The major factors causing these differences
are believed to be, in order of importance; (1) mining methods employed,
(2) topographic settings, (3) type and extent of mineralization, and (4)
geologic association.
^oth Daisy and Fisher Creeks may be characterized as containing acid,
calcium sulfate waters with abnormally high conductivities, dissolved solids,
aluminum, iron, manganese, and trace metal concentrations (Appendix E).
They both respond in a similar fashion to the snowmelt "dilution effect"
upon water quality as shown in Figure 11, page 39, for samples collected
at the respective gauging stations. Both creeks have very little variation
in specific conductance in their low-flow regime (t- IQ Ips), which suggests
a fairly constant ratio of mine drainage contribution to the base flow of
the stream during the low-flow period.
The major difference between the two drainages is the magnitude of their
meta loads, especially iron and aluminum. At the weir location on Daisy
Creek (site 109), dissolved iron ranges from 5.4 to 34.6 mg/1, total
recoverable iron ranges from 23.2 to 99.0 mg/1, and dissolved aluminum
ranges from 9.32 to 41.3 mg/U while at the weir on Fisher Creek (site 207),
dissolved iron ranges from 1.4 to 6.4 mg/1, total recoverable iron ranges
T[ :•« mg/1' and dissolved aluminum ranges from 1.0 to 3.65 mg/1.
These differences are roughly fivefold for dissolved iron and tenfold for
total recoverable iron and dissolved aluminum. Dissolved
iron and aluminum concentrations were found to be independent of pH at
the Fisher Creek weir site, and to have a very slight negative correlation
riHSr?* Sln9 me^. va^es with increasing pH) at the Daisy Creek weir site.
Computer calculations using a program designed to calculate solution com-
position and compare it with mineral solubilities (Truesdell and Jones,
1973), for samples collected on August 5, 1975, did not determine thf
waters to be saturated with respect to any aluminum-bearing minerals, but
super-saturation with respect to ferric hydroxide, ferric oxyhydroxide, and
nT^ ?XHdn ^ST*1 at +°th wr Vites' Lepidocrocite and jarosite were
not included in the computer calculations; manual computations show that
the waters are supersaturated with respect to both of these phases.
Although these observations can be explained in part by equilibrium
chemistry, flow paths and reaction kinetics must also be considered with
these systems. Sulfate ions form ion complexes with various metal ions
in aqueous solutions. In dilute waters the effect of these complexes is
negligible, but, as one or both of their concentrations rise, the percentage
of less abundant species found as a complexed species increases markedly
-------
10,000
_ 1,000
CM
E
o
.C
s
o
c
o
*-
u
3
"O
c
o
u
o
1)
Q.
in
>>
k-
o
s
o
DAISY CREEK
I
I
FISHER CREEK
100
I
.0020 .0028
FIGURE II
.028
Flow (m3/s)
Flow versus specific conductance for
waters collected af sifes IO9 and 207.
,28
39
-------
As an example, at sites 207, 205, 109, and 103 the percentage of aluminum
tied up in aluminum sulfate complexes is 26.7, 49.6, 52.4, and 66.6 percent,
respectively. Thus the weathering of pyrite produces acid, which attacks
the aluminous minerals and provides sulfate, which helps to keep the
aluminum in solution. The results of the computer calculations are not
surprising, as the difference between the analytically determined dissolved
and total recoverable aluminum was small, usually falling within the
analytical limits of the equipment, and one form was not consistently higher
or lower than the other. Also, the aluminum determinations on raw and raw
filtered samples showed the same results, implying that aluminum was stable
(undersaturated) in the waters sampled. These facts do not explain the
reason for the order of magnitude difference in the aluminum values noted
between the two mine areas.
The solution to this problem can be easily understood if the water
samples collected at the collapsed adit on the McLaren property (site 108}
are thought of as representative of an oxygen-deficient system. These
water samples may be characterized as having a neutral pH, moderate
sulfate content, and low (relative to the other sites) metal concentrations.
They must represent a situation where neutralization of the acid formed
by pyrite oxidation [equation (3), Appendix D] has kept pace with acid
production. Neutralization has probably been achieved predominantly by
the dissolution of limestone [equation (8), Appendix D], as the calcium
content represents 75 to 84 percent of the positive ionic charge (cation
mi Hi equivalents). Calcite dissolution is one of the more rapid mineral
reactions, geologically speaking, and it is logical to assume that the rate-
limiting factor controlling the water composition is the availability of
oxygen. If the water samples from this site and the proposed limiting
factor are taken as one extreme and the oxygenated waters recharging through
small ponds, as typified by samples from the "wet well" (site 110), are
taken as the other extreme (see Appendix E), it can be seen that the latter
must be the dominant type of reaction occurring at the McLaren mine area.
The iron data is consistent with this interpretation also. Rather than
repeat what is in the literature, the reader is referred to Langmuir (1971),
Langmuir and Whittemore (1971), Whittemore (1973), and Whittemore and
Langmuir (1972, 1974, 1975).
Several factors interact to control the quality of AMD in this type of
terrain. The type of mining is believed to be most crucial. Open-pit
mining destroys the thin soil of subalpine areas, but more importantly
it vastly increases the amount of unweathered sulfide mineral surface in
contact with the atmosphere and shallow groundwater systems. This
increases the rate of sulfide weathering drastically. The topography of
the mine area is important to the groundwater flow system. Steep topography
results in steep groundwater gradients, thereby bringing dilute,
unsaturated, and oxygenated water into contact with the sulfide minerals,
so that the total flux of metals out of the mineralized area may be
surprisingly large.
The lower metal concentrations in the Fisher Creek drainage may be
attributed to the following factors: (1) the area and depth of disturbance
40
-------
is smaller, (2) the amount of ore minerals seems to be less, and (3) flow
through the mineralized area is predominantly open-channel flow rather than
groundwater flow. Thus, the velocities are considerably greater, and the
chemical reactions do not have time to proceed as far before the water has
passed through the major mineralized zone.
One additional feature should be noted before finishing the discussion
of the mine areas. The total suspended (or total filterable) sediment in
a subalpine stream usually increases as a function of flow. Figure 12,
page 42, a plot of flow versus suspended solids, shows two interesting
features. First, Daisy Creek (circles) seems to be almost unaffected by
stream stage, averaging roughly 62 mg/1 of suspended solids for flows rang-
ing from 5.4 to 173 Ips. Second, the Fisher Creek data (triangles) may be
interpreted by either of the curves as showing a minimum suspended solids
content for flows of about 28 Ips, with suspended solids increasing with
both higher and lower stream discharges. The sparsity of available data
and the absence of winter data (flows L3.7 Ips) limit the significance
of the figure, but if these trends are valid, the following interpretations
should be of significance:
1. At the McLaren mine area, the consistency of the suspended solids
content suggests that the surficial sediment load approximately
balances the runoff dilution effect upon filterable precipitates.
2. At the Glengary mine area, the high flow characteristics are
typical of unaffected watersheds, but the precipitation of iron
from the adit discharge reverses this trend at low flows when the
adit discharge becomes volumetrically more important.
Summary of Metal Loads at McLaren Mine Site. An analysis of the annual
flow and total metal load will help to summarize the sources and extent of
pollution. In deriving the loads at various sites at the two mine locations,
we can more easily identify the pollutant sources and, if reclamation work
is completed, determine the reduction in pollutant load.
To determine the loads, water year 1975 (October 1, 1974 to September
30, 1975) was used to compare the pollutant loads at each site. Streamflow
and water quality data were gathered periodically at sites at each mine
area. The average streamflow and water quality data for the period between
each sample were determined by averaging the data obtained from the samples
at the beginning and end of each period. The metal load was calculated by
multiplying the average flow by the duration of the time period, and
multiplying the resultant number by the laboratory determination of the
metal concentrations. For those sites that did not have numerous stream-
flow and water quality data available, the time interval for the representa-
tive flow rate and sample was extended to include that portion of the year
when the sample would represent a similar flow and water quality regime.
For example, if one flow rate and water quality sample were collected
during spring runoff, it was assumed that this flow and water quality were
characteristic of the entire spring runoff. Spring runoff and low flow
periods were determined from sites 109 and 208 which had numerous water
quality samples and continuous flow measurements.
41
-------
r>o
100
to
Q
-I
O
CO
o 10
UJ
o
z
UJ
Q_
CO
3
CO
H 1 1 1—I I I I
10
H 1 1 1—I I I I
DAISY CREEK
FISHER CREEK
FLOW (Ips)
100
-I 1 1 1—lilt
1000
FIGURE 12
Flow versus total suspended solids for Daisy
and Fisher Creeks at their gauging stations.
-------
Figure 13, page 44, shows the metal loads for the McLaren mine area at
sites 102, 104, 108, and 109 for the spring runoff (May 15, 1975 to August 5,
1975), the remainder of water year 1975 (October 1, 1974 to May 15, 1975
and August 5, 1975 to September 30, 1975), and the total load for water
year 1975.
Based upon the discharge and water quality data collected at site 109
for the October 1974 to September 1975 period, the annual contribution of the
McLaren mine site TS as follows: acidity, 154,800 kg; sulfate, 220,600 kg;
iron, 14,500 kg; and aluminum, 13,800 kg. Although the amount of data
available was less, copper loads have been estimated at 3,300 kg per year and
zinc at one-tenth that value. These figures are probably on the conser-
vative side since flows during most of the snowmelt periods and summer
storm events were not measured. The impact of a summer storm can be seen
by the samples collected on July 30, 1975 at site 103 (Table 6, page 45).
The concentration of most constituents increased during the storm with the
greatest increase occurring in iron, sulfate, and suspended solids. Thus,
the 148 percent increase in discharge did not result in dilution of the
pollutants, but caused a flush off of reaction products and suspended
matter.
Approximately 80 percent of the pollution load was discharged during
the snowmelt period (May to July) when the major contribution to flow was
surface runoff. On July 30, 1975, a survey was made of the mine site to
determine the major sources of pollutants. At that time there were only
a few small patches of snow remaining near the highwall. As seen in
Figure 14, page 46, a small tributary measured at site 104 was receiving
the majority of its flow from water that had infiltrated into the mine
waste and was resurfacing down gradient. Over half the discharge at site
103 can be contributed to underflow. As this water passed through the
mine waste, significant increases in all parameters resulted. The water
that percolated further to seeps measured at sites 117, 118, and 119
picked up even higher concentrations of heavy metals. The springs in the
vicinity of site 104 are somewhat of a puzzle. They appear to be separated
from the mine area by a ridge and have a higher aluminum concentration.
Their source is not clear. The tributary at site 107 obtains most of its
flow from the seepage and pond at site 106. The groundwater appears to
surface at this point. The water quality at site 107 is better than at
site 104, probably reflecting less impact of the disturbed mine area which
primarily drains toward site 104.
Summary of Metal Loads at Glengary Mine Site. Figure 15, page 47,
shows the metal loads for the Glengary mine site at sites 202, 205, and
207 for the spring runoff, the remainder of water year 1975, and the
total load for water year 1975. Site 205 reflects the metal load from
the mine adit, and site 207 shows the total load from the disturbed mine
areas as well as the load from the mine adit.
Based upon the discharge and water quality data collected over the
September 1974 to September 1975 period at site 207 on Fisher Creek
(Figurel5, page 47), the annual contribution of pollutants was as follows:
acidity, 28,000 kg; sulfate, 54,400 kg; iron, 2,180 kg; and aluminum,
43
-------
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
DASHS INDICATE NO DATA
SITE 102
PARAMETER
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
FLOW (at3)
SPRING
RUNOFF
22,400
22,600
6,350
•34
Z.I KIO4
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
1 3,300
15,800
4,100
588
!.2xK>4
ANNUAL
TOTAL
35,700
38,400
10,450
1,422
3.3 x 104
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
-— ^cs
3f
m
m
i$k
w,
JJs—^,
PARAMETER
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
FLOW (m3)
SPRINS
RUNOFF
62,200
74,800
11,100
4,500
8.8x10*
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
20,300
31,800
2,900
2,100
2.4 xlO4
ANNUAL
TOTAL
82,500
106,600
14,000
6,600
II.ZxIO4
SITE 109
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
PARAMETER
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
FLOW (m8)
SPRING
RUNOFF
128,000
175,000
11,900
11,000
SI.OxlO4
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
26,8OO
45,600
2,600
2,800
14.0 xlO4
ANNUAL
TOTAL
154,800
220,600
14,500
13,800
65.0 XlO4
i°lpSARE JN
A Water Sample Site
CH?Disturbed Area
or Stream
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE
IN FEET M 8 U
FIGURE 13
Metal loads at McLaren mine site for water year 1975.
-------
TABLE 6. IMPACT OF A STORM ON RUNOFF QUALITY AT SITE 103
Before storm9 During storm*5
concentration concentration
mg/1 mg/1
Ca
Mg
Fe» total
Al
Mn
Na
Cd
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
S04
Suspended solids
44
22
230
18
4
1
.04
.8
.4
8
32
910
160
100
18
720
18
4
2
.02
2
1
5
25
1,800
7,710
|J Flow rate = 2.33 Ips
b Flow rate = 5.8 Ips
45
-------
a*
Adit Discharge -108
FLOW
Ca
Mg
Fe
Al
Mn
Na
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
S04
SS
Cond.
0.32
200.
12.
12.
0.6
1.2
2.2
1.8
0.3
0.2
0.08
600.
10.
1000.
Highwall
FLOW
Ca
Mg
Fe
Al
Mn
Na
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
S04
SS
Cond.
Seep - 101
0.95
20.
4.3
38.
6.6
1,7
1.6
1.3
.1
3.1
It.
385.
20.
1000.
Pond Discharge -I06a
FLOW
Ca
Mg
Fe
Al
Mn
Na
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
S04
SS
Cond.
0.39
45.
20.
75.
5.
2-
2.2
1.0
0.2
0.7
5.
400.
20.
1200.
Seep - 106
1.2
20.
2.
12.
4.
0.3
1.4
1.2
O.I
0.3
3.
ISO.
70-
500.
Runoff
FLOW
Ca
Mg
Fe
Al
Mn
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
SO 4
SS
Cond.
- 103
2.33
44.
22.
230.
18.
4.
0.8
0.4
3.1
32.
910.
160.
1600.
104
FLOW 5.54
Co 60.
Mg 30.
Fe ISO.
Al 22.
Mn 6.
K 1.
Pb 0,2
Zn 7.0
Cu 35.
S04 850.
SS 90.
Cond. 1800.
Seep-I04a
0.76
IOO.
70.
ISO.
96.
14-
0.2
0.2
9.4
SS.
1500.
10.
25OO.
120
0.56
16.
4.
18.
7-
0,7
0.3
0.06
0.9
8.0
200.
30.
1000-
Ik V
/
\
J
^V. /
^-sf
T^-^e..
/ ^
I07.J[ 1
\/^
104
I04a
otity
109
RUNOFF
FLOW
Ca
Mg
Fe
Al
Mn
Na
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
S04
SS
Cond.
121
1.26
25.
4.
20.
4.
0.5
2.
1.3
O.I
0.6
3. 1
185.
50.
1000.
Seeps
FLOW
Ca
Mg
Fe
Al
Mn
Na
K
Pb
Zn
Cu
S04
SS
Cond.
- 117
0.06
300.
80.
15.
100.
18.
2.4
3.4
0.4
16.0
100.
2000.
40.
2700.
118
0.27
23O.
45.
28.
60.
9.
2.3
2.5
O.5
9.
48.
1350.
40.
2200-
119
0.38
25.
6.
35.
9.
1.
1.8
1.5
0.2
2.
6.
300.
30.
1000-
SS-Suspended Solids
Cond.- specific conductance In
umhos
Flow in Ips
All other values In mg/l
J^-Mine adit
FIGURE 14
Water quality at McLaren mine site (July 30,1975).
-------
SITE 202
PARAMETER
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
FLOW (m3)
SPRING
RUNOFF
680
I.IOO
20
50
18.0 XIO*
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
80
ISO
3
4
0.8 xlO*
ANNUAL
TOTAL
760
I.28O
23
54
IB.BxIO4
^
— *£V
^
^
-»-*** —
oil
O 25 SO 76 100
Meters
A Wafer Sample Site
C!7Disturbed Area
—*Creek or Stream
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE
IN FEET MS L
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
SITE 207
SITE 205
PARAMETER
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
FLOW (m3)
SPRING
RUNOFF
4.2x10
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
7,100
16,300
1,800
240
4.9x10*
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
ii
^
^s:
V^"
S
^
"!??"!
PARAMETER
ACIDITY
SULFATE
IRON
ALUMINUM
FLOW (m3)
SPRING
RUNOFF
21,000
36,600
1,600
1,260
82.7x10*
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
7,000
17,800
580
460
16.6x10*
ANNUAL
TOTAL
28,000
54,400
2,180
1,720
99.3x10*
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
ANNUAL
TOTAL
13,400
25,900
3,300
380
9.1 xlO4
FIGURE 15
Metal loads at Glengary mine site for water year 1975.
-------
1,720 kg. Based upon limited data, the copper and zinc loads have been
estimated as 580 kg, and 200 kg, respectively. These values are probably
on the low side because of the difficulty in measuring accurate flows due
to water movement through the gravels underlying the stream channel, and
because of lack of data during parts of the snowmelt and summer storm
periods.
Approximately 75 percent of the pollution load was discharged during
the snowmelt period, May to July. During low flow period, the adit
discharge measured at site 205 produced over 80 percent of the pollutants
found at site 207 on Fisher Creek (Figure 15, page 47). Besides the dis-
charge from the adit (site 205), pollutants were discharged from the
Scott Bonnet Mine adit (site 201) and were picked up by the overflow
across mine waste dumps. This pickup can be noted by comparing the water
quality at sites 202 and 204.
Mill Area
Introduction
The mill processed ore from the McLaren mine and was located between
U.S. 212 and Soda Butte Creek (Figure 2, page 11). The tailings pond begins
about 120 m southwest of the old mill site, and is roughly elliptical,
having axial dimensions of about 260 and 150 m. The tailings pond is over
the old Soda Butte Creek stream channel; the present stream course is the
result of diverting the creek around the north side of the tailings pile
(Photo 4,^page 49). When the Bear Creek Mining Company purchased the
McLaren mine property, the mill site came with the mine in a "package"
transaction. Bear Creek leveled the tailings material and covered it with
roughly 0.5 to 1.0 m of alluvial sand and gravel in the 1960's.
Geology
,ril.The ra.111 frea 1s underlain by moraine deposits of Pleistocene age
(Elliott,^1973) covered with a thin veneer of recent stream deposits. Bed-
rock consists of coarse-grained granite and fine-grained diorite. The
diorite is believed to be a small dike, of Tertiary age, which intruded
the granite. The diorite was encountered in drill hole number 24B (Figure
16, page 50 and Appendix G), which penetrated the thickest section of '
^l« Jh?h14i5 m °f 9f-Vf bel°? ^e tail1ngs and above bed™k ^ be
related to the lesser resistance of the nongranitic igneous rocks to
chemical weathering (Holmes, 1960, pp. 393-400), or this hole may be
located closer to the part of the valley that was deepest at the time when
glacial aggradation (valley filling) began. Regardless of
the origin of the gravel-filled depression, the thickness of the gravel
at this location places serious engineering constraints upon any attempts
to flood the tailings pond or to dam the tailings and gravel, preventing
groundwater within the tailings from passing through the gravel
48
-------
Photo 4. McLaren mill area showing Soda Butte Creek.
-------
en
O
FIGURE 16
Sample site location map of the mill tailings area.Large circles
represent surface water stations;small circles represent wells.
The "300" has been deleted from the well numbers.
-------
Tailings Material
The thickness of the tailings is known to range from about 0.03 to
9.7 m. The tailings consist of phyllosilicates (clays), tectosilicates
(predominantly feldspars and quartz;, sulfides (mostly pyrite), iron
oxides (magnetite, goethite, and ferric hydroxide), and calcium salts
(gymsum and calcite). Most of the material is coarser than 325 mesh
(a sieve opening of 44 microns or 0.044 mm). Chemical analyses were run on
samples from nine of the holes drilled during 1975 to obtain a range for the
metal values and chemical constituents that affect the smelting costs
(Table 7, page 52). The Bear Creek Mining Company provided auger-location
and polygonal ore-reserve maps and a tabular summary of their assay of the
mine tailings. Based on the available data, the value of the tailings at
current (March 1977) metal prices is: (1) gold = $3,240,000, (2) silver =
$324,800, and (3) copper = $1,182,400, for a total metal value in the
tailings of 4.747 million dollars.
Examination of the auger cuttings and split-spoon cores indicated two
significant zones of sulfide oxidation within the tailings. An upper zone
of oxidation showed in all holes as red iron stain. Additional stringers
of oxidized material, seemingly associated with sandy layers, were noted
to a depth of 3 m. A second zone of oxidation, at the base of the
tailings, was erratic. It consisted of ferric iron cementing material which,
with some of the fines from the tailings, had filled the open space in the
underlying sand and gravel. The cementing iron was principally goethite
and one or more x-ray amorphous phases. Because goethite [FeO(OH)]
commonly forms by the dehydration of ferric hydroxide [Fe(OH)3], ferric
hydroxide is believed to be the predominant x-ray amorphous phase.
Thermodynamic calculations suggest that before the tailings waters become
saturated with respect to ferric hydroxide, jarosite [KFe3(S04)2(oH)6^
saturation is reached.
Hydrology
Introduction. The tailings pond has been studied for two years, but
somewhat better water level data were obtained during 1976. The tailings
pond is an abnormal phenomenon, being a lenticular wedge of fine-grained
sediment artifically emplaced within a stream channel and stabilized by
man. The diversion of the creek around the tailings prevented the backing
up of stream water, although the tailings do create a barrier that retards
groundwater moving down the hill slope south of the pond from reaching
the creek. The effect of the barrier is particularly visible near well 6
(Figure 16, page 50), as a seep breaks out where the tailings abut the
hillside. Surface water flow from this seep through the spillway continues
until fall, suggesting that the difference in transmissivity between the
natural surficial materials and the tailings materials is appreciable
and has significantly altered the hydrologic regime. Waters that
enter the tailings, react with the sulfide tailings minerals, and
pass through the tailings, return as mineralized springs, seeps, and
groundwater, and degrade Soda Butte Creek below the tailings pond. Thus,
the study of groundwater movement within the tailings provides important
information used in evaluating possible rehabilitation measures.
51
-------
en
PO
TABLE 7. CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
DRILL HOLES, McLAREN MILL SITE
Drill
hole no.
22
23
25
28
29
30
31
33
34
Average
nig/ kg
Au
1.40
2.79
1.95
2.51
3.35
7.81
1.95
0.42
5.02
3.01
Ag
5.02
4.46
39.62
7.25
6.70
8.93
1.40
6.70
9.49
9.96
Weight percent
Cu
0.349
0.336
0.246
0.362
0.284
0.297
0.181
0.336
0.427
.313
Pb
0.150
0.200
0.175
0.125
0.100
0.150
0.075
0.150
0.125
.139
Zn
0.100
0.075
0.012
0.075
0.100
0.025
0.025
0.025
0.037
.053
Si02
28.22
33.20
29.36
26.12
28.22
28.42
34.14
28.46
29.46
29.51
S
14.14
11.07
11.24
14.56
13.49
14.32
3.38
11.57
12.91
11.85
Fe
26.96
22.82
24.60
27.94
25.19
27.35
22.82
25.19
24.50
25.26
A1203
21.84
27.54
20.90
20.42
20.01
20.45
20.24
20.31
22.00
21.63
-------
Surface Hater Investigations. Six surface water stations, numbered 317
through 322 (Figure 16, page 50) constitute the standard data collection
network. The data are presented in Table 8, page 54. Perennial flow
exists at sites 317 (Photo 5, page 55), 321, and 322. The stream at site
318 is ephemeral, flowing only during the snowmelt runoff period. Miller
Creek (319) should be a perennial stream, but the municipal water supply
for Cooke City is taken from this stream, causing it to become dry in the
fall of 1974. At least a part of the flow of Miller Creek was diverted
during peak runoff in the summer of 1975 by erosion of the stream channel
and the formation of an alternate channel. The alternate channel routed
water around the study area and delivered it to Soda Butte Creek below site
322. Both sites 318 and 319 were dry by September 9, 1975. Site 320 is on
the outflow of a pond formed by the coalescence of several seeps along the
foot of the tailings dam. Measurable flow continued at this site beyond
September 22, 1975, but ceased by October 20. Site 321 is a spring at the
toe of the tailings dam. It is located approximately where a culvert
carried Soda Butte Creek underneath the tailings before the creek was
diverted around the tailings.
The hydrographs for sites 317 and 322 are shown in Figures 17 and 18,
pages 56 and 57 ; note that from fall through spring the upper station
has a higher measurable flow than the lower station. This was attributed
to increasing amounts of stream underflow, just above station 318 and
particularly inthe lower part of the drainage beyond the tailings dam,
based upon: (1) the crossing by the creek of its old stream channel,
(2) the types of vegetation noted there, and (3) the high soil moisture
noted in the fall. A backhoe pit was dug just upstream of site 322
to test this hypothesis. Boulders were encountered to a depth of 2.4 m,
which indicates a zone of very high transmissivity extending down to at
least this depth. Conditions in the channel of Soda Butte Creek near
site 318 should be similar. Hole number 35 was drilled to test for the
presence of a granite knob suggested in an earlier report (Wallace et al.,
1975). Instead of the hypothetical shallow granite, interbedded sandy
gravel and tailings to a depth of 5.1 m and boulders from 5.1 to 6.7 m
were drilled. These findings verify the highly transmissive conditions
necessary for highly influent stream behavior and significant underflow.
Detailed streamflow measurements were conducted on June 21, 1975
(Table 9, page 59). The stream-gauging stations (Figure 19, page 58) were
selected for position along the stream reach as well as for the best
available channel condition. The largest stream losses were between
stations one and two (178 Ips) and between stations nine and ten (213 Ips).
Total stream loss amounted to 388 Ips, approximately 52 percent of the
streamflow at the bottom station. A less detailed study on October 20,
1975, showed a stream loss of 31 Ips with a flow of 32 Ips at station 12;
the largest loss occurred between stations one and three. These data
suggest that the annual water outflow from this area is roughly twice the
measured annual streamflow at the lower station.
When recorder or frequent manual measurements are available to con-
struct a stream hydrograph, the effect of rainfall and snowmelt can be
evaluated and compared to the basin's groundwater base-flow component of
53
-------
TABLE s. MCLAREN MILL SITE STREAMFLOW DATA (ips)
Date
317
318
Site number
319 320
321
322
05/03/74
05/14/74
05/21/74
05/28/74
06/10/74
06/25/74
07/08/74
07/24/74
08/05/74
08/20/74
09/06/74
09/18/74
10/01/74
10/14/74
11/06/74
11/18/74
12/03/74
12/16/74
01/03/75
01/13/75
01/29/75
02/05/75
02/18/75
03/05/75
03/19/75
04/01/75
04/14/75
04/30/75
05/19/75
05/27/75
06/05/75
06/06/75
06/12/75
06/17/75
06/21/75
07/01/75
07/09/75
07/21/75
07/29/75
08/04/75
08/13/75
08/19/75
08/26/75
09/04/75
09/09/75
09/22/75
10/20/75
-_
102
103
543
628
1308
606
245
157
110
65
61
41
53
60
30
22
17
18
13
10
10
9
9
13
8
8
7
94
46
492
853
676
920
892
1623
1076
330
370
249
184
187
146
79
92
71
60
13
134
34
32
20
11
17
7
116
316
175
76
50
12
8
9
3
DRY
DRY
DRY
173h
1133b
397
170
62
9
121
371
110
352
196
960
VHC
274
49
22
12
9
5
6
DRY
DRY
DRY
8
34
8
4
0.8
0.8
11
2
3
7
2
0.9
0.9
1
0.9
0.1
DRY
—
—
--
--
8
8
7
5
5
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
1
1
4
4
7
7
7
8
44b
7
8
8
7
3
5
4
4
4
4
3
3
71
138
138
703
917.
3030b
1088
440
228
m
52
33
26
16
15
11
13
7
7
5
4
5
4
4
4
5
7
4
75
49
664
855
868
1122
751 h
2832b
VH
787
396
272
191
128
110
95
46
49
32
Dash indicates no record
Estimated
Very high
54
-------
on
'-^ai'.'-:' ••• •*>
,. * _ -*c_/ -
. ^".-T%XH.,
>^
Photo 5. Soda Butte Creek near site 317.
-------
2.5 -
2.0 -
- 1000
MAY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
25.9 -
£ o
..I ll,J. ,
MAY
1
1 I M
., , . Ill . 1 . , . .11.. .,
JUNE ' JULY ' AUG ' SEPT ' OCT'"' NOV ' 'oEc""1
FIGURE 17
Hydrographs for Soda Butte Creek
at sites 317 and 322 for 1974.
b6
-------
0.5
— 2.832 Estimated
1-1200
•1100
Station 322 spec, con
JAN
FEB
MAR APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
"^25.9
= 12.9
o
CC 0
,IJI,
1 III
. n illLn
,illl
II
1, In
JLlLl. .In .IIL..L .1
n .1
JAN
FEB
MAR
FIGURE 18
Hydrographs for Soda Butte Creek
at sites 317 and 322 for 1975.
57
-------
in
00
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET U S L
FIGURE 19
Location of flow measurement sites (large numbers),
McLaren mill site (July 21, 1975).
-------
streamflow. Due to the winter freeze up of the stilling well and the weir
destruction during runoff, only the overall yearly cycle based on weekly
and semimonthly measurements can be evaluated. The base-flow period for
Soda Butte Creek has been marked on a semi logarithmic hydrograph
(Figure 20, page 60); the portions marked VI and V2 represent the ground-
water flow that sustains or supplements the creek flow from August until
the following May at sites 317 and 322, respectively. This groundwater
contribution, which is measurable as surface water flow, represents only
2 to 4 percent (V2) of the total measured surface water flow at the
point studied (site 322). In contrast, the base flow at site 317 is
roughly 10 percent (VI) of the total measured surface water flow. The
difference is attributed to the steeper stream gradient in the upper
reaches of Soda Butte Creek, which we believe prevented the development
of thick gravel beds, compared with those developed between sites 317
and 322 (Miller Creek seems to have contributed significantly to the
buildup of gravel beds more than 12 m thick locally). The difference in
ratios of base flow to total surface flow at sites 317 and 322 further
substantiates the premise that this stretch of the creek is a natural zone
of groundwater recharge. It is believed that the total water outflow
from the drainage basin at site 322 must be 1.5 to 3.0 times greater than
the measured flow at site 322; the best estimate based upon the available
data is that the annual groundwater flow is approximately equal to the
annual surface water flow.
TABLE 9. FLOW MEASUREMENTS (m3/s) AROUND McLAREN MILL TAILINGS POND,
JUNE 21, 1975.
Site
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Soda Butte
flow
0.89
0.71
0.68
0.69
0.65
0 85
\J • \j *J
0.97
0.76
0.75
Previous station
flow plus inflow
0.89
0.71
0.68
__ _
0.70
___
0.85
0.85
0.97
— -
0.80
Tributary
inflow
-— -
—
__ _
0.01
—
0.20
___
—
—
0.04
—
Loss between
station
___
0.18
0.17
-0.01 (gain)
___
0.05
.---
-0.00
-0.12 (gain)
0.21
0.05
Total inflow (stations 1, 5, 7, and 11) = 1.14 m /s
Net loss is 0.39 m3/s at station 12
59
-------
J A S 0 N D
F M A M
0.001
FIGURE 20 Semilogarithmic plot of Soda Butte Creek hydrographs
showing base flow components VI and V2 for sites
317 and 322, respectively.
60
-------
Groundwater Investigations. The groundwater study was restricted to
the tailings pond, with primary emphasis on: (1) water movement within
the tailings, (2) avenues of recharge to the tailings materials, and (3)
the movement of groundwater out of the tailings. Observation wells were
installed to permit measurement of the water level (Appendix E). Well-
injection and surface-infiltration tests were performed to determine tailings
transmissivities and infiltration rates. Results of the 1975 field season
generally provided additional data to support previous interpretations
(Higgins, 1974; Wallace et al., 1975) except that surface infiltration is
no longer believed to play a significant role in recharging the tailings if
the surficial materials have not been disturbed.
The surface-infiltration test showed that prior to field capacity of the
soil the infiltration rate is 3.239 liters meters-2hour-l. Once the soil
is brought up to field capacity, further infiltration should be negligible.
Well 27 was used as an injection hole to evaluate the hydrologic
character of the tailings. The well extended 4.2 m below land surface
(tailings from 0.9 to 4.2 m).
From the results of the slug injection test, it is believed that the
tailings at this site can be represented by a transmissivity value between
12 and 37 1/m/day, which means the tailings material would be classified as a
poor aquifer.
Water-table maps (Figures 21-25, pages 62-66) were constructed from
the measured water levels in the wells (Appendix H) to interpret the
direction of flow within the tailings. A flow map will be presented later
(Figure 32, page 78), once the quality data have been presented.
Water Chemistry
The surface water chemistry of the mill area differs from that of the
mine areas in that the creek water is not acidic, the aluminum concentration
is one or two orders of magnitude lower, and the copper and zinc values
are considerably lower (Appendix E). The major problem seems to be the
dissolved iron content, which increases from less than 0.1 rng/1 during
the flood stage recession to almost 50 mg/1 during the low winter flow
when the tailings pond loss is diluted by as little as 1.5 to 2.0 volumes
of creek water. This relationship is depicted graphically in Figure 26,
page 66, which is a log-log plot of flow versus sulfate concentration.
The sulfate concentration in samples collected above the mill site (317)
averages approximately 10 mg/1 regardless of the streamflow. Similarly,
the discharge at the culvert weir, which drains the tailings (321), has
an average sulfate concentration of about 700 mg/1, which does not vary
greatly as a function of flow. At the sampling site below the tailings
(322), the sulfate concentration is definitely related to flow. The
ideal dilution curve, assuming a fixed quantity and composition of
pollutant mixing with a variable quantity of fixed composition dilutant,
behaves somewhat differently than the preceding figure. The initial
dilution (as much as fivefold) is very nearly linear and has a slope of
-1.0, but with an increasing amount of dilutant (flow in Figure 26, page 67)
61
-------
CTl
ro
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE If-: FEET USL
FIGURE 21
Water table map of the McLaren mill site (May ei, 1974).
-------
cr>
CO
FIGURE 22
Water table map of the McLaren mill site (June 6, 1974).
-------
FIGURE 23
Water table map of the McLaren mill site (July 12, 1974).
-------
FIGURE 24
Water table map of the McLaren mill site (July I, 1975).
-------
cn
en
25 50 75 100
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET M S L
FIGURE 25 Water table map of the McLaren mill site (September 9, 1975).
-------
CD
1,000
500
200
_ 100
O
en
50
20
10
M
1 ___,
A= SITE 317
• = SITE 321
• =SITE 322
J L
-I L.
_L
J
0.001 0.003 0.006 0.01 0.03
J L
0.06 0.15
Flow (m3/s)
0.3 0.6
1.4 2.8 5.7
FIGURE 26
Flow versus sulfate plot for sites 317, 321, and 322.
-------
the straight line becomes a curve, which asymptotically approaches the value
of the dillutant concentration. The departure of site 322 data from this
ideal case results from two complicating factors: (1) the volume and com-
position of the tailings effluent is not constant, the variable volume being
the more significant problem, and (2) during periods of high flow in Soda
Butte Creek, a significant fraction of the water is derived from Miller Creek,
which has a higher average sulfate content (15 mg/1) than the Soda Butte
Creek water.
The major pollutant in Soda Butte Creek is iron. Dissolved iron seems to
be the dominant factor affecting trout mortality (Knudson and Estes, 1976).
The concentration of dissolved iron in Soda Butte Creek cannot be solely re-
lated to flow or to sulfate concentration. Plots of these factors show too
much scatter to permit meaningful results from dependent variable regression
analysis of one factor at a time. Multiple regression techniques could be
used to evaluate the effects of reclamation. Factors that should be consider-
ed include: flow, pH, distance from source, water composition (especially
bU4^- and HCOa-), redox potential, suspended sediment, total recoverable iron
(iron in water and sediment released by treating the raw sample with 1 volume
percent concentrated acid, preferably HN03), and creek stage (the high iron
values associated with high flow are usually found during the rising stage,
probably resulting principally from the transport of colloidal size Fe(OH)a
and dissolution of KFe3(S04)2(OH)6). The latter material (jarosite) is some-
what soluble in meltwater runoff or precipitation despite its thermodynamic
solubility constant of approximately IcHOl (D. Langmuir to J. Sonderegger,
December 1975, personal communication), and could contribute to the formation
! colloidal iron of fine enough size to be classified as dissolved according
to the following reaction.
. KFe3(S04)2(OH)6 + 3 H20 = K+ + 3 Fe(OH)3 + 2 S042- + 3 H+ (1)
This would help to explain Higgins' (1974, page 14) observation that rainfall
upon the mill site resulted in the rapid formation of acidic, high iron,
sulfate runoff water. Jarosite would be expected only in conjunction with
waters right in sulfate, as a secondary mineral. Most occurrences are
related to acid mine drainage from shafts, spoils, and tailings, or natural
drainage from zones of intense sulfide mineralization.
The area's more significant source of "dissolved" and total recoverable
iron is probably the very fine iron precipitate, which is moved from the
land surface only during hard rainfall and from stream channels only during
high flow periods. At site 317, above the tailings pond, dissolved iron
values are low (^0.03 mg/1) during February, March, and April. As the
runoff starts and streamflow increases, the dissolved iron concentrations
start to rise, reaching a maximum before the creek crests. Data concerning
total recoverable iron are available starting in June 1975 and suggest a
similar pattern. The sample for July 30, 1975, was collected at the
cessation of a brief but intense rainfall. The high total recoverable iron
value (16.9 mg/1) is indicative of suspended sediment transport (52.7 mg/1)
and is believed to result from the transport of ferric hydroxide, because
68
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the iron, determined by difference, constitutes 32 weight percent of the
suspended material.
The data from below the tailings pond (site 322) follow a different
pattern, owing to the influence of the tailings effluent. Dissolved iron
decreases with increasing flow, with one exception. The July 2, 1975
sample is anomalously high in all metals, probably contained in fine colloids;
the total suspended solids content was 631.56 mg/1, the stage was rising,
and the flow (2,700 Ips) was near the peak. The decrease in iron is
attributed to dilution and to increased aeration and pH, factors that in-
crease the rate of ferric hydroxide formation from dissolved ferrous iron
(Stumm and Morgan, 1960, p. 534). The data for total recoverable iron
suggest a bimodal distribution, with higher values during low flow, and
during high flows associated with rising-limb runoff or times of intense
precipitation.
The chemical character of waters from the mi 11-site observation wells
(Appendix E),the seeps at the toe of the tailings dam, and the spring(approx-
imately where the old stream culvert is reported to have passed
through the tailings dam) is related to flow through the tailings material
and the reactions that occur during that passage. The key points are:
(1) Iron (both total recoverable and dissolved) and sulfate con-
centrations are considerably lower at the culvert weir and
seep sites than in the wells at the lower end of the tailings
pond.
(2) The field pH at the culvert weir spring is considerably higher
than that of the lower wells; the field pH of the seeps at the
toe of the dam is as low as the pH of the tailings well waters
or lower.
(3) The specific conductance and total dissolved solids values are
smaller for the culvert weir samples than for samples from the
lower wells.
These facts are interpreted as the result of the mixing of dissimilar
waters to explain the chemical composition of samples from the culvert weir
site. Consideration of a system in which only the tailings groundwater
appears at the culvert weir spring requires one or more precipitation
reactions, which reduce the iron and sulfate concentrations while
increasing the pH (i.e., consuming hydrogen ions). In general, the
weathering and dissolution reactions for oxide, carbonate, and silicate
minerals consume hydrogen ions and increase the concentration of dissolved
constituents, whereas the precipitation or secondary formation of these
minerals lowers the concentrations of dissolved constituents but releases
hydrogen ions to the aqueous phase. The precipitation of iron as a hydroxide
would lower the pH and would not alter the sulfate content. Sulfate
reduction by a reductant such as organic carbon
Fe+2 + CH4 + S04'2 = H2C03 + FeS + HzQ (2)
69
-------
would reduce both Iron and sulfate concentrations, but organic material in
the tailings is not sufficient nor is the redox potential of the water issu-
ing from the spring low enough for troilite (FeS) or pyrite (Fe$2) to be
stable relative to ferric hydroxide. The precipitation of jarosite utilizing
both particulate and dissolved iron would provide the desired results
2 K+ + Fe3+ + 5 Fe(OH)3 + 4 S042- = 2 KFe3(S04)2(OH)6 + 3 OH" (3)
but dissolved potassium is insufficient for this reaction to be significant,
and the weathering product (kaolinite) resulting from the destruction of
microcline and Muscovite to provide the necessary potassium ions was not
noted in the clay analyses for hole 24A.
The preceding discussion was not meant to deny the possibility of any
of the reactions considered from occurring to some extent. If an average
flow of 2.8 Ips and an iron content of 125 mg/1 are assumed for the spring
outflow, then more than 11 metric tons of iron is released annually at this
site, and two to eight times this amount must be left behind as a precipitate
of some sort. The absence of identifiable products of these reactions sug-
gests that they are not the major factor controlling the chemical composition
or the tailings effluent issuing from the culvert weir spring. Thus, a mix-
ing model consistent with chemical quality of the well waters must be con-
sidered.
An isopleth is defined as a line connecting points of equal size or
abundance; maps showing the magnitude of the pH, specific conductance, sul-
rate concentration, and dissolved iron concentration are presented to
facilitate the discussion of water movement, mixing, and the concomitant
chemical reactions. The weathering of pyrite may be dipicted as (Appendix D)
FeS2 + 7/2 02 + H20 = Fe2+ + 2 S042- + 2 H+ (4)
under moderately reducing conditions similar to those encountered in the
tailings. The reaction rate has been shown to be controlled in large part
lLpr%5V™ ? ?! the °Xldant page 52)" The maP of PH values (Figure
27, page 71) indicates a trough-shaped feature similar to that found on the
water-table maps. This area of lower pH is believed to represent significant
water input from the gravel beneath the tailings, predominatly streamflow
loss to the gravel but also a groundwater contribution from the higher ground
to the south.
The ^ specific conductance map (Figure 28, page 72) shows two zones of
highly mineralized water separated by a less mineralized zone, this distrib-
ution is believed to result from dilution and from permeability
70
-------
*"•> **"
0 25 SO 75 100
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET U S
FIGURE 27
Isopleth map of field pH values from wells
at the McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975).
-------
ro
25 50 75 100
Meters
FIGURE 28
Isopleth map of laboratory specific conductance (ymhos/cm1)
from weUs at the McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975).
-------
differences. According to Higgins (1974), wells 4, 10, and 11 penetrated
0.6, 0.5, and<0.03 m, respectively, of the underlying gravel, which suggests
that dilution is probable at wells 4 and 10, and barely possible at well
11. Well 10 has a very high specific conductance, indicative of very
limited mixing with water from below. Dilution by mixing is probably
occurring at well 4; well 11 is indeterminate as its location is near the
margin of the tailings, and the gradient between the stream and the hole
bottom is still fairly steep, suggesting a small artesian head in the
gravel.
Sulfate is the dominant anion in the mineralized water and is believed
to behave almost conservatively. The amount of sulfate lost from the
aqueous phase by the precipitation of gypsum, jarosite, and other sulfate
minerals should be minor, for reasons stated earlier. Consequently, the
map of sulfate concentration isopleths (Figure 29, page 74) resembles
the specific conductance map. The major difference in the maps is related
to the alkalinity/sulfate ratios of wells along the southern and eastern
margin of the tailings; in these wells, the bicarbonate ion contributes
significantly to the specific conductance. The waters from these wells have
not been extensively altered by chemical reactions with sulfide minerals.
The map of the dissolved iron isopleths is presented (Figure 30,
page 75) primarily because of the significance of iron in this study. The
data suggest the same basic configuration, but the iron values show
extreme seasonal variation in some of the wells (3, 5, and 6 especially)
as listed in Appendix E. These wells are near the old channel occupied
by Soda Butte Creek prior to the construction of the tailings dam (E. Nott
to J. Wallace, July 1974, personal communication). The high iron values
in winter suggest that the old channel is partly blocked below well 6
and that a perched water table forms within the streambed during the winter
when the water table in the gravel would be at its lowest level in the
yearly cycle.
Discussion
Groundwater Flow in Tailings. The depiction of the groundwater flow
pattern within the tailings material depends upon the interpretation of
the hydraulic characteristics of the units present and how they react in
the dynamic situation. Figure 31, page 76, depicts stratigraphy at the
tailings pond. The crucial factor is the presence and nature of a boundary
condition between the tailings and the underlying gravel. If a thick,
relatively impermeable ferric hydroxide cementing zone were present
everywhere at the base of the tailings, the tailings material would con-
stitute a semi-isolated hydrologic system, and flow within the tailings
would be roughly normal to the water-table contours. Wells that partly or
completely penetrate such a barrier, however, will measure partly or
completely the effect of water levels or piezometric pressures in the
underlying gravel, resulting in lower water levels during most or all of
the year. Even in the absence of the hydroxide cementing material, a
distinct permeability difference between the two layers constitutes a
hydrologic boundary condition of considerable significance. In both cases,
the groundwater within the tailings will migrate laterally, but a
73
-------
/ /V>---?-72;
\{ ' ///T^
* ( r&?
' \ \\
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET M S L
S4%®'
FIGURE 29
Isopleth map of sulfate concentration from wells
at the McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975).
-------
Ol
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET M S
FIGURE 30
Isopleth map of dissolved iron concentration from
wells at the McLaren mill site (July 2, 1975).
-------
METERS
0 -r
2 -•
3 - •
4 * *
5 J-
RECHARGE
BARRIER
SOIL
HYOROLOGIC
UNIT NO. I
-BARRIER
HYDROLOGIC
UNIT NO. 2
HYDROLOGIC
UNIT NO. 3
LAND SURFACE
TOPPING RUBBLE
TAILINGS, SAND, SILT
Fe(OH)n CEMENTED ZONE
SAND, GRAVEL, SILT
ZONE OF WEATHERING
(NOT ALWAYS PRESENT)
FIGURE 31 McLaren tailings pond-diagrammatic vertical section.
76
-------
significant factor is the loss of water to the gravel during the fall,
winter, and spring seasons. The drilling of wells on the tailings has
undoubtedly made the recharge problem worse, in that surface meltwater has
recharged the tailings at most wells, by drainage down the hole around the
outside of the casing and even by direct flow down the casing (wells 1 and
6, in particular). Furthermore, the well construction, which has disturbed
or eliminated the boundary between the tailings and the gravel in some
places, permits the gravel zone to act as a direct recharge source to
higher sections of the tailings.
The relative effect of this disturbance can be partly documented for
wells 25, 26, and 27, which were drilled, gravel packed, and flushed on
September 8, 1975. Their measured depths were 5.9, 6.9, and 4.2 m,
respectively, compared to drilled depths of 9.1, 8.4, and 8.4 m,
respectively, suggesting that fine gravel, sand, silt, and clay infilled the
holes 3.0, 1.5, and 3.7 m, respectively. The holes are only 3 m apart, and
the water levels measured on September 11, 1975, were 5.9, 4.7, and 3.3 m,
respectively, below land surface. The water-table slope (0.42 m/m) is
unrealistically high and reversed from the gradient depicted by the other
wells. Therefore, it is believed that these water levels show effective
hydraulic connection with the underlying gravel; wells 25 and 26 were at
least cased into the gravel, whereas well 27 had sloughed in to a point
1.3 m above the top of the gravel before the casing was installed. Most
of the fill within the casings is believed to be tailings materials.
The reason for questioning the validity of the water-table maps in
representing water levels within the tailings is the effect of well con-
struction upon the water levels. Variation in depth of gravel penetrated,
extent of sloughing before casing installation, and the settling out of
finer material within the casing will all affect the water-level response
of the wells. The water quality data were used to aid in determining now
direction, once the leakage effects were considered.
The groundwater flow map (Figure 32, page 78), has_two types of
arrows. The open arrows show the effect of the pre-immng stream channel s
ability to move groundwater from the hills that lie to the south and from
the marginal area of the tailings. The high iron and sulfate values
determined for well 6 during November and December 1974 and January 1975
(Appendix E) suggest either that some tailings-material groundwater is
drained off during the winter or that the channel becomes nearly stagnant,
and weathering reactions adjacent to the channel are affecting the water
quality.
The dark arrows represent the flow pattern based upon the measured
water levels and, to a lesser extent, upon the water chemistry. The high
iron and sulfate values for samples from wells 8, 10, and 15 suggest that
a low-permeability zone separates them from the main flow path (heavy
arrows). The very slow rise of the water level in well 14, as well as
the iron and sulfate concentrations, suggest a less permeable area. Well 14
is shallow, the bottom being only slightly more than 3m below the original
land surface. Consequently, it is believed to be the least affected by the
influence of the underlying gravel. The observation that the water levels
77
-------
00
25 SO 75 100
Meters
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET M S L
FIGURE 32
Generalized flow map showing direction of groundwater
movement within the tailings (July 2, 1975).
-------
in well T4 are in reasonable agreement with the water tab7es constructed when
omitting well 14 suggest that the flow directions inferred from the water
table maps are correct in general form but would be altered locally by further
monitoring of the wells drilled during the T975 field season.
Mineral Stabilities. The water samples collected at the culvert weir
spring (site 321), although believed to be the result of mixing, do provide
some preliminary clues to the reactions affecting the water composition.
First, the presence of secondary gypsum within the tailings should be
expressed by saturation values for this mineral unless mixing is significant.
The calculated ion activity product, 10-5-344, for the August 4, 1975, sample
is considerably less than the ion activity product at equilibrium, which is
10-4,862. These data suggest that a minimum dilution of two parts distilled
water with one part tailings water is necessary to account for the observed
undersaturation. Samples collected on the same date from wells 3, 5, 10,
and 14 were supersaturated with respect to gypsum and samples from wells 2,
6, and 16 were at 0.4, 0.1, and 17 percent saturation, respectively. These
later samples are believed to represent the unaffected groundwater (well 2),
a mixture of groundwater and surface water underflow (well 6), and the initial
stages of influent surface water and groundwater reacting with tailings (well
16).
The chemistry of the spring water is very similar to that of the
McLaren adit discharge. The major difference between them is the extent
to which sulfide weathering and other reactions proceed during the contact
of the water with the tailings. Oxygen may be consumed according to Stumm
and Morgan's (1970, pp. 540.542) pyrite oxidation model (stoichiometricany
or roughly so, using equations (4) and (7), Appendix D), but the field and
laboratory data for the August 4, 1975, sample (pH * 6.46, Eh = 197 mv,
total dissolved iron = 106 mg/1, sulfate = 556 mg/1, HC03- (at lab pH of
5.50) = 106 mg/1, computer calculated ionic strength = 0.0198) suggest that
the iron levels are controlled by the formation of amorphous Fe(OH)s. Using
these i-ron and sulfate concentrations, a value of 66.9 percent may be calcu-
lated using equation (12), Appendix D, for the iron released by pyrite
weathering which actually reaches the spring. The water composition suggests
that roughly one-third of the iron released by sulfide weathering is precip-
itated in the tailings; this is in general agreement with field and labora-
tory examination of the drill core and cuttings.
A list of the minerals calculated to be supersaturated, based upon the
composition of the tailings effluent at the spring, includes:
adularia goethite leonhardite
a1 unite halToysite maghemite
bixbyite hematite magnetite
boehmite illite Mn(OH)3
cristobalite jarosite montmon'Tlonite
diaspore kaolinite pyrolusite
Fe(OH)3amorphous K-mica pyrophyllite
gibbsite laumontite quartz
79
-------
This list contains many minerals not identified optically or by x-ray dif-
fraction. Some of the missing species may be present in trace amounts as
coatings, others may not have formed for kinetic reasons, and a few may not
actually be as stable as calculated, owing to poor thermodynamic data.
Lastly, although the solution may be saturated with respect to several solid
phases, some of these minerals will be unstable with respect to others (the
simplest example is Si02, where the solution is saturated with respect to
quartz and Cristobal ite and nearly saturated (84%) with respect to
chalcedony). If equilibrium were attained, the number of phases would be
constrained by the phase rule, but because of seasonal fluctuations of the
water table and of groundwater velocities and therefore of the fugacity of
oxygen, it is doubted that equilibrium is ever attained, even within a
small volume of the tailings.
Annual Flow and Metal Loads. An analysis of the annual flow and total
hi?n * •i?ri!US*wa!r quality samPlin9 Sltes ^ the McLaren mill site
5?7 wi tJiate ^oo°U[CeS and amount of Pol^tant load. Four
^i ' II ' 321' a?d 322> have been chosen to show the metal load at
u *e" ,The annual load was determined for water year 1975, and the
method for determining the load has been described previously on page 41 .
s1tes317r%2o' I*?* n'rfSS?S t!?h m?tal l°aduf°r the McLaren m111
sites 317, 320, 321, and 322. The load has been determined for the soring
° *" 5' 1975)' the ^ma?nder of t e wa e?
and August 5> 1975 to Se'temb- 30>
The determination of pollutant load at each source now and after anv
reclamation, will help to determine the effectiveness of ?he reclalalion *
80
-------
00
SITE 322
PARAMETER
SULFATE
IRON (TR)
FLOW Cm9)
SPRING
RUNOFF
223,100
103,900
84.8 x 10*
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
114,800
10,000
12.5x10*
ANNUAL
TOTAL
337,900
113,900
97.3x10*
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
O
317
SITE 320
PARAMETER
SULFATE
IRON (TR)
FLOW (m3)
SPRING
RUNOFF
38,600
3,740
0.7 X 10*
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
IO4.700
9,340
1.3x10'
ANNUAL
TOTAL
143,300
13,080
2.0x10*
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
McLAREf
MILL SITE
76 37-
SITE 321
f -. ..x^bJU
b^g,
~~-~^ *~~-*
^__>__ 4«>— •*" ""
PARAMETER
SULFATE
IRON (TR)
FLOW (m3)
SPRING
RUNOFF
50,700
18,000
0.8 xlO*
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
25,000
4,600
O.4xlOS
ANNUAL
TOTAL
75,700
22,600
1.2x10*
f
r
/
/
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
SITE 317
PARAMETER
SULFATE
IRON (TR)
FLOW (ms)
SPRING
RUNOFF
53,400
18,550
75.1 xlO5
REMAINDER
OF YEAR
6,800
100
8.4x10*
ANNUAL
TOTAL
60,700
18,650
83.5x10*
LOADS ARE IN KILOGRAMS
t *
Feet
IQO 200
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET H S L
FIGURE 33
Metal loads at McLaren mill site for water year 1975.
-------
SECTION 5
BIOLOGICAL STUDY
Introduction
During the summer of 1975, the Montana Department of Fish and Game con-
ducted a biological study on three acid mine impacted streams near Cooke City,
Montana. The purpose of the biological portion of the study was to supply
input into the selection of a technique or techniques to reduce and treat
the acid mine seepage, originating at three abandoned hard rock mine sites.
Specifically, this portion of the study was designed: (1) to determine the
existing degraded conditions of the biological communities in the three
impacted streams below the acid mine sites, and (2) to attempt to define
what components of the wastes are responsible for this degradation. This
information could then be used to estimate how effective, e.g., percent re-
moval of heavy metals, etc., any abatement technique must be to restore a
viable fishery to the streams.
sontolh! fJnldiS?ct10T °Lthe StUdy Was conducted from May 19 through
Stonf ?hp cL;- " thlS rep°^ !:eference is «wde to fourteen sampling
stations. The stations were sampled for water quality and/or biological data
on a monthly or bimonthly schedule, depending upon need and acce«1b llty.
page L!™ Statl'°nS ^ th61> EPA Slte numbers are sh°wn
Chemical Sampling
Basic Chemical Parameters and Heavy Metal Analyses
Water samples for laboratory analyses were periodically collected in
polyethylene bottles at all stations. Four sample bottle were collected
at each station, as follows: (1) one 1 ,000 ml bottle, f? tered (In the
field through a 0.45 micron filter, (2) one 1,000 ml bottle?unf Itered
("as is"), (3) one 1,000 ml bottle unfiltered, but acidified with 10 ml
of concentrated nitric acid (HN03), and (4) one 250 m bottle fi tere?
through the 0.45 micron filter and acidified with 2.5 ml of concentrated
nitric acid. The bottles were refrigerated to 40C and sent to the labora
tory where they were analyzed for thi following constituents:
1. Basic parameters - bicarbonate, calcium, carbonate, chloride,
hardness, magnesium, manganese, nitrate, pH, potassium, silica, sodium,
specific conductance, sulfate, and total alkalinity
-------
Custer
National
Forest
Galtatin
National
Forest
GLENGARY
MINE
National
MONTANA Baffe
WYOM?NG
MINE AND MILL LOCATIONS
A SAMPLE SITE LOCATION
• ••• DRAINAGE BASIN BOUNDARY
YELLOWSTONE PARK BOUNDARY
.— STATE BOUNDARY
X TRAIL PASS
• TOWN
FIGURE 34 Location of water quality and biological
sampling stations.
83
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2. Heavy metals (dissolved and total) - aluminum, cadmium, copper, iron,
lead, and zinc.
Field Physiochemical Determinations
Field measurements for dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and
temperature were also made concurrently with the water sampling. Dissolved
oxygen was measured with a YSI model 57 meter. Specific conductance was
determined with a YSI model 33 Salinity-Conductivity-Temperature meter.
Stream temperatures were also made with this meter or with a hand-held field
thermometer.
Stream Sediment Analyses
In late September, stream bottom gravels were collected at nine of the
sampling stations. The gravels were returned to the laboratory, where they
were dried, and filtered through a 0.074 mm sieve. Heavy metal determina-
tions for aluminum, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc were then made on
this fraction of the sample.
Biological Studies
Benthic Insects
Aquatic larval insects were collected from the bottom gravels by using
a Surber Sampler. A sample of creek bottom (.09 m2) was taken at each
station on each water chemistry collection date. The insects were preserved
in the field with 70 percent ethyl alcohol and returned to the laboratory,
where they were enumerated and separated into basic taxonomic groups
(Orders). In this report the orders of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stone flies
(Plecoptera) and caddis flies (Tricoptera) are considered to be "sensitive"
to changes in water quality, while the rest of the orders (true flies,
beetles, etc.) are considered to be "tolerant" to such changes This ad-
mittedly is a fairly general categorization; but it is widely used, particu-
larly when the time or taxonomic keys for an area are not available for
further identification. A healthy stream section would therefore contain
a large number of insects, with a high percentage being pollution
"sensitive". Any reduction in total numbers or in the percentage of
sensitive organisms from a control station would indicate stream degradation.
Fish Shocking
The presence or absence of fish was determined at each station by
shocking a 23 to 90 m stream segment. A small, battery-operated backpack
fish shocker, capable of producing up to 425 volts, was used While this is
a fairly reliable method for attracting fish, other factors such as the
electrical conductivity of the water, or simply the lack of suitable physical
habitat may bias the information.
Bioassays
A bioassay is an evaluation of the toxicity of a pollutant in which
84
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living organisms (in this case fish) provide the scale. Fish are exposed to
a waste, or a diluted fraction of a waste, and their ability to survive is
noted. All fish used in this study were small (3-6 cm) Yellowstone cut-
throat trout (Salmo clarki). The fish were transported from the Montana
Department of Fish and Game Yellowstone River trout hatchery at Big Timber,
Montana, to Cooke City, where they were acclimated for at least 15 days in
flow-through aquaria. Miller Creek, which provides the drinking water for
some residents of Cooke City, was used for this acclimation.
In-Situ (Caged Fish) Bioassays. For this portion of the bioassays, ten
fish were placed in 50 x 30 x 30 cm fiberglass mesh bags, supported by metal
frames. The tests were conducted for a 72-hour period at six stations, and
for two 96-hour periods at three stations.
Flow-Through (Aquaria) Bioassays. A small camper trailer, equipped with
eight 38-liter aquaria and eight liquid proportional metering pumps (Matheson
Scientific No. 56542), was used for this portion of the bioassays. The
bioassay unit was located at station 322, which is below the McLaren mill
tailings, near Miller Creek. This system automatically combined acid mine
water from Soda Butte Creek with dilution water from Miller Creek into present
proportions. The following proportions of Soda Butte Creek water were used:
100, 69, 47, 32, 22, 15, 10, and 9 percent. The pumps were set to deliver
200 ml of the above proportions per minute. Standpipe drains maintained a
volume of 30 liters in each aquarium, which allowed the test solutions to be
turned over approximately ten times per day. Water quality samples taken
from the aquaria indicated that the pumps maintained the above dilutions
within ;f 2.0 percent. Two flow-through bioassays were conducted for 96 hours
per test.
Fish Tissue Analyses. Fish from all bioassays were removed at the end
of four days, frozen, and taken to the laboratory for heavy metal analyses.
Since the fish were so small, several from each site were pooled prior to
analysis. The fish were also skinned, which allowed each sample to be
divided into two subsamples: (1) tissue and bones, and (2) heads, internal
organs, and skin.
Results
Because individual abatement techniques will have to be applied at each
of the three impacted areas, the results of the biological study will be pre-
sented in three different sections, i.e., Stillwater, Clarks Fork, and Soda
Butte drainages.
_Stillwater - McLaren Mine Area
Chemical Sampling
Basic Chemical Parameters. Water chemistry and biological samples were
collected in the headwater area of the Stillwater River on August 5 and 20,
and September 5 and 15, 1975. This area was not accessible by four-wheel
85
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vehicles before early August, which was unfortunate, since the peak runoff
from the McLaren mine area was in mid-July. The six-week sampling period
therefore spanned the stream stages of high-flow recession and low-flow,
high temperature.
With the exception of two parameters, the concentrations of the basic
chemical constituents increased with time (decreasing flow), and decreased
with distance downstream from the mine. As was expected, total alkalinity
and pH did not conform to this pattern. Total alkalinity clearly increased
both with time and with distance from the mine. The pH values demonstrated
a similar, yet less precisely delineated pattern. Water quality data for the
Daisy Creek-Stillwater stations 109, 127, 128,and 129 are presented in
Appendix E.
Heavy Metals. Of the three impacted areas which were studied for this
report, the stream below the McLaren mine (Daisy Creek) consistently con-
tained the highest concentrations of heavy metals. At station 109, the
dissolved values for copper, iron, and particularly aluminum, were always
much higher than concentrations reported in .the literature to be toxic to
trout (greater than 2.0 mg/1). The dissolved concentrations of the other
three metals—cadmium, lead, and zinc—were much lower, with only zinc
appearing at values greater than 0.01 mg/1. By station 127, 3 km below the
mine, these concentrations were reduced, without any consistent pattern, to
values 2 to 100 times less than those found at station 109. Below station
127 and before station 128, the other two feeder streams of the Stillwater
converge with Daisy Creek to form the headwaters of the river. In this
0.5 km section of the stream, most of the heavy metals are rapidly pre-
cipitated, and by station 128, no dissolved concentrations were ever found
at values above 0.1 mg/1 (Appendix E). This removal of dissolved metals
is no doubt prompted by the relatively high buffering capacity of the middle
and west feeder streams, which have never been influenced by mining activity.
The only water sample collected from the middle feeder stream contained a
total alkalinity concentration of 87 mg/1, nearly 20 times the highest
concentration found at station 127. Also, throughout the study period, the
flow of both the middle and west feeder streams was roughly equal to Daisy
Creek, which added a considerable amount of alkaline dilution to the upper
river system.
Stream Sediment Analyses. The results of the heavy metal determinations
for the fine (0.074 mm sieve) gravels from the Stillwater drainage are pre-
sented in Table 10,p. 87. Significantly higher concentrations of precipitated
metals were found at station 128 compared to the control station (129), or
to the station above the confluence of the other two feeder streams (station
127). Two exceptions were iron and lead, which were slightly more concentra-
ted at station 127 than at station 128.
Biological Studies
Benthic Insects. The total number of benthic insects was severely
reduced at station 127, with only two insects being found on four sampling
dates, for an average of 0.5 organisms per 0.09 m2. At station 128, the
number of benthics had not recovered nearly as dramatically as the improve-
86
-------
TABLE 10. HEAVY METAL ANALYSES OF STREAM GRAVELS, STILLWATER DRAINAGE,
(IN^g/g).
Station Aluminum Cadmium Copper Iron Lead Zinc
127
128
129
77,140
87,490
73,190
2.2
7.6
1.5
2,640
11,450
83
93,300
84,450
40,250
173
116
66
260
1,280
129
ment in water quality might hint, since the average number had only increased
to 3.75 organisms per 0.09 m2. These values are very low compared to the
control station (129), which contained an average value of 118 organisms per
0.09 m2. Station 129 had a clean, fine gravel bottom, while the former
two stations had a "cemented", heavy metal appearance. Due to low benthic
population at station 127, no bottom samples were collected at the even more
degraded area of station 109.
Fish Shocking. On September 17, 1975, stream segments ranging from 30
to 90 m were shocked in the vicinity of stations 127, 128, and 129. No fish
were found. In addition to checking these normal sampling sites for the
presence of fish, several more pool and riffle areas were shocked on the
mainstem of the Stillwater as far as 1.3 km below station 128. No fish
were found even in stream sections with excellent physical habitat. The
electrical conductivity of the water was apparently conducive to shocking,
since numerous insects were stunned and floated to the surface in the
vicinity of the control site.
Bioassays. One 72-hour in-situ bioassay was conducted from September
15 through September 18, 1975. Cages were placed at stations 127, 128, and
129. At station 127, all ten fish were dead after 24 hours. At station
128, only two fish died after 72 hours, yielding a survival of 80 Percent,
the surviving fish were quite healthy and responsive, showing little abnormal
behavior or Stress. All of the control fish at station 129 survived the test.
Heavy Metal Analyses of Fish Tissue. The concentrations of aluminum
and copper in the head, skin, and internal organs (composite) subsample
of fish from station 127 were much higher than the values for these metals
at any of the other stations in the study These concentrations indicate
that the cause of fish mortality in the bioassay at station 127 was very
likely due to these two metals. The results of fish tissue analyses for
the Stillwater stations are presented in Table 11, page 38.
Cjarks Fork - Glengary Mine Area
Chemical Sampling
Basic Chemical Parameters. Four stations were sampled in the headwater
87
-------
TABLE 11. HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN FISH FLESH FROM THE STILLWATER/
MCLAREN MINE STATIONS SEPTEMBER 1975 (irug/g DRY WEIGHT).
Station
Station
Head, skin, and internal organs composite
Aluminum Cadmium Copper Iron
127
128
129
780
260
69
1.05
1.34
1.22
279
153
9
803
254
119
113
249
95
Aluminum
Flesh and bones composite
Cadmi urn Copper Iron
Zinc
127
128
129
54
37
21
< .60
< .60
< .60
335
151
6
86
254
54
68
82
75
area of the Clarks Fork Yellowstone from August 5 through September
23, 1975. As was true of the Stillwater drainage, the high stream runoff
period (early July) was not sampled. The four sampling dates (August 5, 20,
and September 5 and 23, 1975) were therefore all within the low-flow, high-
temperature stream stage.
With two exceptions, total alkalinity and pH, the concentrations of the
basic chemical parameters increased: (1) with decreasing flow, and (2) with
increasing distance from the mine site. Both total alkalinity and pH in-
creased at the sampling stations downstream from the mine, but slowly de-
creased as the flow, in turn, began to subside. Water quality data is pre-
sented in Appendix E. It should be noted, however, that these latter two
parameters demonstrated a rather sporadic response to changes in flow a
reflection of the poor buffering capacity of streams in the Upper Clarks Fork
drainage.
Heavy Metals. Even at the furthest upstream station (207) the heavy
metal concentrations were far lower than those found in the upper stations of
the Stillwater - McLaren mine area. At station 207, aluminum and copper were
the most concentrated dissolved metals, the former being found in the 19
to 2.7 mg/1 range, and the latter in the 0.7 to 0.8 mg/1 range Dissolved
iron was never found above 0.3 mg/1, and zinc was always less than 0.2 mg/1.
The dissolved cadmium and lead concentrations were always less than 0.01 mg/1.
At site 209, 4 km below the mine, and at site 213, below the confluence of
Lady of the Lake Creek, no dissolved heavy metal ever exceeded 0.1 mg/1.
These data are presented in Appendix E.
Stream Sediment Analyses. Stream gravels were collected at stations 209,
213, and 214. The results of the fine (0.074 mm sieve) gravels are in Table
12,p. 89. In the stream sediment analyses, no distinct patterns of heavy metal
-------
TABLE 12. HEAVY METAL ANALYSES OF STREAM GRAVELS, CLARKS FORK DRAINAGE,
IN^g/g.
Station Aluminum Cadmium Copper Iron Lead Zinc
209
213
214
80,690
68,800
72,530
2.5
3.5
3.8
3,130
2,070
2,300
73,650
67,750
62,850
153
133
163
320
400
460
precipitation were evident. In fact, three metals, cadmium, lead, and zinc,
were more concentrated in the sediments of the control station than at either
of the affected stations.
Biological Studies
Benthic Insects. An improvement in total number of benthic insects can
be seen with distance downstream from the mine. At station 209, an average
of 5.25 organisms per 0.09 m2 were collected, and by station 213, this average
had increased to 9.75. These values were lower than the control station
(214), where 12.0 organisms per 0.09 m? were collected.
Fish Shocking. On September 18, 1975, three 100 m stream segments were
shocked in the vicinity of stations 209, 213, and 214. No fish were found at
any of these stations. Although the physical habitat at all stations appeared
suitable to support fish, the electrical conductivity of the water was quite
low, greatly lowering the efficiency of the shocking unit. Fish may have
been present but possibly were not attracted to the unit s probes.
Bioassays. One 72-hour in-situ bioassay was conducted from September 16
through September 19, 1975. Fish cages were placed at stations 209, 213, and
214. No mortalities occurred at any of the stations. However, the test at
station 209 was terminated at 60 hours by vandals removing the cage from the
stream.
Heavy Metal Analyses of Fish Tissue. In this drainage the metal con-
centrations contained in the bioassay tish were far lower ^"^6 values
found in fish from the other two study areas This should be expected since
no fish mortalities were recorded at any of the Clarks Fork stations. The
fish tissue analyses for this drainage are presented in Table 13, page 90.
Soda Butte - McLaren Mill Area
Chemical Sampling
Basic Chemical Parameters. Water samples for complete analyses were
collected on eight dates from toy 19 through September 14, 1975. The mill
tailings had a moderate influence on the basic water chemistry of Soda Butte
Creek. In fact, the concentration of major cations increased slightly at
89
-------
TABLE 13. HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN FISH FLESH FROM THE CLARKS FORK-
GLENGARY MINE STATIONS, SEPTEMBER 1975 (IlUtg/g DRY WEIGHT).
Head, skin, and Internal organs composite
Station Aluminum Cadmium Copper Iron Zinc
209
213
214
325
78
81
< .60
.60
.68
37
8
11
346
67
240
120
108
125
Station
Aluminum
Flesh and bones composite
Cadmium Copper Iron
Zinc
209
213
214
27
24
19
< .60
< .60
< .60
7
5
8
52
67
60
79
75
76
station 322 over the values recorded at station 317. These values decreased
rather sharply at station 325, due to the influence of Woody Creek, which
enters Soda Butte Creek 4 km above station 325. Although this tributary
was not sampled extensively, one sample taken near its mouth on June 17, 1975,
revealed that it is a typical softwater mountain stream, with major cation
and anion concentrations two to four times lower than those found at site 322.
The flow of Woody Creek throughout the sampling period was roughly equal to
the flow of Soda Butte Creek at their confluence. Below station 325, water
samples taken at stations 326 and 327 demonstrated that the concentrations
of the major cations gradually increased. This information is illustrated in
Figure 35, page 91, using calcium and magnesium as typical major cations.
The major anions demonstrated slightly different concentration patterns
from those of the cations. As expected, the sulfate concentration jumped
sharply at station 322, and then decreased sharply by station 325, after which
it continued to decrease slowly at the downstream stations. One notable
exception to this pattern was on July 2, 1975,during the peak runoff, when
the sulfate concentration at station 317 was much higher than at all other
stations. This information is present in Figure 36, page 92. The concentra-
tion pattern for total alkalinity (the sum of the carbonate, bicarbonate
and hydroxide components) was very similar to that of the major cations with
one obvious exception; a reduction in concentration, rather than an increase,
occurred below the tailings. This again was expected, but the amount of re-
duction was less than what normally occurs below most acid-mine wastes. A
notable exception to this pattern was during the early July runoff (Figure 37,
page 93).
90
-------
75-1
60
o
o
o
CD
a
o"
45
30
15
STATION
NUMBER
DATE
j ro 01 o> ^i
5/19/1975
01 01 01 01 01
ro ro
ro 01
6/17
— ro ro ro ro
o>
Ol Ol Ol Ol
ro ro ro ro
ro 01 o> ->i
7/2
01 01 01 ot ot
— ro ro ro ro
--J ro 01 a> -*t
01 01 01 01 01
— ro ro ro ro
->) ro 01 -*i
8/4
8/19
9/4
FIGURE 35
Variations in calcium plus magnesium at each station
during the study period-Soda Butte Creek.
-------
100
80
5 60
40
20 -
I
STATION
NUMBER
DATE
W W W W OJ
— ro f\j ro ro
-J ro 01 o> -^
5/19/1975
OJ W W W W
_ ro ro rv> ro
^j ro 01 01 -^
OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ
— ro ro ro ro
-g ro 01 o> -g
OJ OJ OJ OJ OJ
— ro r\> ro ro
"^ ro 01 o> ->i
OJ oj oj OJ oj
— ro ro ro ro
•^ ro 01 o> ->i
OJ oj w 01
— ro ro ro
->i ro 01 a>
6/17
7/2
8/4
8/19
9/4
FIGURE 36
Variations in sulfate at each station during
the study period-Soda Butte Creek.
-------
150-1
120
o
o
o
3°
10
CO
STATION
NUMBER
DATE
Ol Ol Ol OJ Ol
— ro ro ro ro
->J ro 01 i ro 01 o -^
01 01 01 01 01
— ro ro ro ro
-j ro 01 o) -j
01 01 01 01 01
— ro ro ro ro
->i ro 01 01 ->i
6/17
7/2
8/4
8/19
Ol Ol Ol
— ro ro
^j ro 01
9/4
Ol Ol
ro ro
01 ->i
FIGURE 37
Variations in total alkalinity at each station
during the study period-Soda Butte Creek.
-------
Heavy Metals. Throughout the study period, at all sampling stations,
iron was by far the dominant heavy metal. Even at station 322/which is
immediately below the mill tailings, the dissolved concentrations of aluminum,
cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc exceeded 0.1 mg/1 on only one occasion; this
was during the early July runoff, when the concentration of dissolved alumin-
um was 4.55 mg/1 and the concentration of dissolved copper was 0.50 mg/1. At
stations 325, 325, and 327, the concentrations of these five metals was even
less, never exceeding 0.02 mg/1. Quite in contrast to the other metals was
the dissolved iron concentration, which was often several orders of magnitude
more concentrated than the other five metals. Most significantly, at station
322, dissolved iron concentrations were as high as 11.60 mg/1, with values
often occurring within the 3.0 to 6.0 mg/1 range. Not surprisingly, there
was a very significant decrease in dissolved iron at stations 325, 326, and
327, with the concentration exceeding 0.1 mg/1 on only two occasions. In
late summer, iron concentrations at these downstream stations were always
less than 0.02 mg/1 (Figures 38and 39, page 95).
Stream Sediment Analyses. The results of the heavy metal determinations
for the fine (0.074 mm sieve) gravels from Soda Butte Creek are presented in
Table 14.
TABLE 14. HEAVY METAL ANALYSES OF STREAM GRAVELS, SODA BUTTE CREEK
Station Aluminum Cadmium Copper Iron Lead Zinc
322
325
326
63,780
79,270
79,120
2.6
2.4
1.8
1,060
165
128
134,600
68,750
75,600
141
74
64
249
174
139
The highest concentrations of precipitated metals were generally found
at station 322, with lower concentrations being found further below the
tailings. This decrease in concentration is nearly proportional to the dis-
tance from the tailings. Exceptions were with aluminum, which was more
concentrated at the downstream stations, and iron, which was more concentrat-
ed at station 326 than at station 325.
Biological Studies
Benthic Insects. The total number of benthic insects was severely
reduced immediately below the tailings at station 322; the percent of
sensitive orders was also lower than at the control station (317). By
station 325, the total number of benthics had nearly recovered, although
the percentage of sensitive orders was still low. Inside Yellowstone Park
at stations 326 and 327, the benthic insect community had completely recover-
ed, both in the total and percent sensitive values. These data are sum-
marized in Table 15, page 96.
94
-------
I
o
0
(0
9
8
7
6
4 -
3 -
-S!o. 322
6/17 7/02 7/20 8/3* 8/15 8/19 9/04 9/10 9/12 9/14 9/23/1975
FJGURE 38 Dissolved iron concentrations, Soda Butte Creek,
showing the frequent peaks at Station 322, which did not
occur at the downstream stations.
0.3
O
£0.2 -i
c
a>
u
c
o
u
O.I -
-Sta. 325
6/17 7/02 7/20 8/04 fl/IS 8/19 9/04 9/10 9/12 9/14 9/23/1975
FIGURE 39 Dissolved iron concentrations at downstream stations.
95
-------
TABLE 15. TOTAL AND AVERAGE NUMBER OF BENTHIC INSECTS COLLECTED (per 0 09
IN SODA BUTTE CREEK.
Date Pie Tri Epe Dip Oth Tot %Sen
Station 317
5/19
6/17
7/15
8/04
8/19
9/04
9/14
TOT.
11
0
0
14
24
4
45
90
14.0
20
0
0
0
1
0
4
25
3.6
25
2
7
19
12
15
20
100
14.
8
0
1
3
6
7
12
37
3 5.3
0
0
0
5
3
2
1
11
1.
64
2
8
41
46
28
82
271
6 38.7
88
100
88
80
80
68
84
82
Station 322
5/19
6/17
7/15
8/04
8/19
9/04
9/14
TOT.
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0.1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0.1
2
1
1
0
2
0
1
7
1.0
0
0
1
0
3
1
1
6
0.9 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.0
3
1
2
0
6
1
2
15
2.1 60
100
100
50
50
0
50
Station 325
5/19
6/17
7/15
8/04
8/19
9/04
9/14
TOT.
2
0
0
0
2
5
10
19
2.7
3
0
2
1
2
6
10
24
3.4
18
3
3
3
10
23
27
87
12.4
0
0
0
0
1
1
81
83
11.9
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0.
25
3
5
4
15
35
128
215
3 30.7
— " i ..,...—
92
100
100
100
93
97
37
60
Pie Tri Epe Dip Oth Tot %Sen
Station 326
17
0
1
0
4
3
2
27
3.9
4
0
0
26
5
6
41
4
4
0
2
3
2
4
19
2.7
6
15
0
3
1
6
31
37
3
10
14
24
18
31
137
19.
27
8
1
41
14
41
132
6
4
0
1
2
0
1
14
6 2.0
Station
10
7
0
4
2
1
24
0
0
0
0
4
0
2
6
0.9
327
0
1
0
1
0
1
3
64
11
11
17
37
23
40
203
29.0
47
31
1
75
22
55
231
91
64
100
94
84
100
93
90
79
74
100
93
91
96
6.8 5.2 22.0 3.4 0.5 38.5 8£
Pie = Plecoptera (stone flies)
Tri = Tricoptera (mayflies)
Epe = Ephemeroptera (caddis flies)
Dip = Diptera (common flies)
Oth = Other benthic insects
Tot = Total
% Sen = Percent of pollution sensitive (Pie, Tri, Epe) benthics in each sample.
96
-------
Fish Shocking. On September 19, 1975, four stream segments ranging from
30 to 120 m were shocked in the vicinity of stations 317, 322, 325, and 326.
The only station where fish were found was station 326; three Yellowstone
cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki) were captured, measuring 11, 27, and 29 cm.
Several other fish were stunned at this station but were not captured due to
the high stream velocity. Also, park rangers indicated that sportsmen often
catch fish in the area of station 326.
Bioassays. Two 96-hour in-situ (caged fish) and flow-through (aquaria)
bioassays were conducted concurrently from August 12 through August 16 and
again from September 11 through September 15, 1975. For the in-situ portion,
cages were placed at stations 317 (control), 322, and 325. The flow-through
concentrations ranged from 0 to 100 percent Soda Butte Creek water, as
described in the methods section. In both the August and September tests,
the only fish mortality was in the cage at station 322. In August, 100
percent of the fish died, and in September, 80 percent had died after the
96-hour period. One of the flow-through concentrations was also 100 percent
Soda Butte Creek water, taken from the creek immediately beside the cage at
station 322. This water was transported from the creek to the bioassay unit,
a distance of 50 m, through a 13 mm (inside diameter) polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) pipe, where a pump completely exchanged the water in the aquarium ten
times per day. However, no mortality occurred in the aquarium and nearly
complete mortality occurred in the creek proper. If we look at the compara-
tive water quality data between the creek and aquarium (Table 16, page 98),
a distinct difference exists in the dissolved iron concentrations. In the
creek, this parameter ranged from 3.82 to 6.70^/1, while in the aquarium
containing 100 percent Soda Butte Creek water it ranged from 0.30 to 0.66
mg/1, clearly an order of magnitude difference. No other water quality
constituent, dissolved or total, reflected such an extreme difference. The
dissolved iron apparently precipitated on all available surfaces, including
the PVC line and glass aquarium, lowering its concentration to "safe values
(at least for an acute test) for the aquarium fish.
At station 322, during both the August and September tests, fish
mortalities were recorded every twelve hours. At ^ese time intervals, the
total lenaths of the dead fish were also measured to the nearest mm. inese
"easirSs £rSkuUrly during September when there was a w, de vani it ion
in length between the test fish, demonstrated ^at the larger fish survived
for longer periods in the highly concentrated dissolved iron water of
station 322 (Figure 40, page 99).
Heavy Metal Analyses of Fjshjjssue. The metal analyses of the head
skin, and internal organs (composite) .subsamples for the Soda Butte stations
demonstrated that the iron concentrations were at least seven t^s more
concentrated in the fish from station i 322 than at any of ^e oth er bo da
Butte Creek stations (Table 17. page 1O). flKbJvJ SSs found
v s oun
t
and bioassay information, both of which indicated that iron was tne
of mortality to the fish at station 322.
97
-------
TABLE 16. COMPARATIVE WATER QUALITY DATA FROM STATION 322 (in-situ bioassay)
AND 100% SODA BUTTE CREEK WATER (flow-through bioassay) (in trig/1).
Date 8/15 9/10 9/12 9/14
100% 100% 100% 100%
Aluminum - D 0.050 ^0.050 ^0.050 0.050 0.050 ^0.050 0.050 ^0.050
T 0.050 0.050 ^0.050 0.050 0.050 0.050 0.050 0.050
Cadmium - D ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^O'.OOl ^0.001
T ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001 ^0.001
Copper - D ^0.001 0.002 0.004 ^0.001 0.004 ^0.001 0 004 ^0.001
T 0.011 0.003 0.007 0.003 0.004 0.006 0.004 0.006
Iron - D 3.820 0.300 6.200 0.630 6.700 0.660 6.400 0.500
T 6.900 4.380 10.600 6.500 10.500 8.460 10.530 10.000
Lead - D 0.007 0.003 ^0.002 ^0.002 0.003 ^0 002 ^0 002 ^0.002
T 0.009 0.003 0.010 0.003 0.004 0.008 0.009 0.004
Zinc - D ^0.001 ^0.001 0.017 ^0.001 0.018 ^0 001 0 013 ^0.001
T 0.004 '0.001 0.039 0.011 0.018 0.012 o'.013 0.010
Calcium 45.000 45.980 52.000 46.400 52.000 51.740 51.500 51.580
Magnesium 9.900 10.300 13.400 11.000 13.200 13.020 13.500 12.530
Sodium 1.300 1.300 1.400 1.400 1.400 1.400 1.400 1.500
Potassium 1.000 1.100 1.400 1.200 1.300 1.400 1.300 1.300
Manganese 0.210 0.180 0.320 0.240 0.340 0.310 0.330 0.310
Bicarbonate 132.000 130.500 131.000 117.360 133.000 131.800 126.800 126.370
Sulfate 48.000 53.700 80.000 70.000 80.000 77.500 78.300 84.100
Conductivity
- umohs 305.700 311.900 271.700 332.700 372.900 367.400 370.500 362.800
pH 6.010 6.070 6.410 6.480 6.490 6.540 6.240 6.930
Dissolved
Oxygen 7.100 6.700 7.300 5.900 6.900 6.800 9.300 7.200
Temperature
-PC 9.000 10.500 10.000 15.000 7.000 11.000 7.000 7.000
98
-------
vo
5.5
TEST No.l I007o MORTALITY-A DEAD FISH
TEST No.2 80% MORTALITY - O DEAD FISH
- • LIVE FISH
5.0
E
o
4.5
UJ
4.0
3.5
3.0
12
FIGURE 40
24
36 48 60
TIME (hrs.)
72
84
96
Length-mortality relationship in two, 96-hour in-situ
bioassays at station 322, Soda Butte Creek.
-------
TABLE 17. HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN FISH FLESH FROM THE SODA BUTTE/
MCLAREN MILL SITES (IN ug/g DRY WEIGHT).
August 1975
Station
317
322
325
Bioassay
Head,
Aluminum
141
586
151
tank-
Soda Butte 59
Station
317
322
325
Bioassay
Aluminum
31
64
5
tank-
Soda Butte 25
skin, and internal organs composite
Cadmium
1.19
^.60
^.60
^.60
Flesh and
Cadmium
^.60
z.60
^.60
^.60
Copper
8
73 n
9
10
bones composite
Copper
8
17
10
7
Iron
500
,140
849
585
Iron
168
460
153
167
Zinc
113
134
123
115
Zinc
101
110
103
93
September 1975
Station
317
322
325
Bioassay
Head,
Aluminum
85
52
92
tank-
Soda Butte 62
Station
317
322
325
Aluminum
32
38
51
skin, and internal organs compos itp
Cadmi urn
2.57
.87
.60
^.60
Flesh and
Cadmi urn
^.60'
^.60
^.60
Copper
7
11 5
8
7
bones composite
Copper
5
8
6
Iron
728
,490
632
737
Iron
96
300
180
Zinc
no
112
127
159
Zinc
80
, 108
96
Bioassay tank-
Soda Butte 27
-.60
90
113
100
-------
Conclusions and Recommendations
Itillwater - McLaren Mine Area
It is fortunate that two relatively alkaline streams converge with Daisy
Creek to form the Stillwater River. The buffering action of these two streams
increases the pH and subsequently lowers the dissolved metal concentrations
in the 0.5 km section of the Stillwater River immediately above station 128.
At station 128, the pH of the stream is raised to a value that is almost
acceptable for a biological community. However, the total metal load
(originating at the McLaren mine) is still very high, even though the dissolv-
ed values are sharply reduced at this station. Because of the improvement
in water quality at station 128, Yellowstone cutthroat trout are able to
survive at this location for at least three days. Very little suitable
Physical habitat is available for benthic'insects since the precipitated
metals literally concrete the stream bottom. Without chronic bioassay data,
which would be nearly impossible to obtain in this isolated area, using both
insects and fish, it is difficult to say what the long-term effects of the
metal concentrations at station 128 might be on these organisms.
If we look at reclamation only from a fisheries point of view, all
efforts should be made to substantially reduce the aluminum, copper, and
iron levels in the upper Stillwater River beginning at least 6 km below
station 128. Based on the very slow recovery of benthic insects at station
128 and the unsuitable appearance of the bottom for some distance below this
station, it would seem that a 90 percent reduction in the total load of these
three metals would be in order.
It should be noted that a very steep stream gradient exists
2.5 km below station 128. This presents a formidable physical barrier to the
upstream migration of fish. This barrier, along with the deep snow pack,
severe cold and low streamflows, occurring every winter .in the vicinity of
the sampling stations, has very likely prevented the existence of a native
trout population in the upper 9 km section of the St llwater. The furthest
natural .upstream point for the native trout population in the r ver is
probably near the confluence of Goose Creek, which enters the Stillwater
roughly 6 km below station 128.
Clarks Fork - Glengary Mine Area
Heavy metals are much less of a problem in this area compared to either
the Stillwater or Soda Butte drainages. The pH and/or lack of alkalinity
appears to be the major problem affecting the aquatic community. At station
209 the trout survived the bioassay without any noticable behavioral changes.
The bottom substrate was quite untarnished, with the . benthic popuijti on ess
drastically reduced over the control than was noted in the Stillwater sta-
tions (compared to their control station).
As was true of the Stillwater drainage, a rapid increase in stream_
gradient, roughly 1 km below station 209, presented a barrier to fish migra-
tion. If only the Clarks Fork proper is considered to ever have had a native
101
-------
trout population, then reclamation efforts should be directed towards increas-
ing the pH of the darks Fork below Lady of the Lake Creek to near 7.0, a
value which is characteristic of this tributary.
Soda Butte - McLaren Mill Area
The benthic insect in-situ bioassay and fish shocking data revealed
that the biological community of Soda Butte Creek is significantly degraded
only above station 325. Although no fish were collected at this station, it
was quite noticeable that the streambed within the community of Silver Gate
has been extensively altered. Most of the undercut banks, logs, and other
physical habitat for fish have been removed. Area residents claim that fish
are caught during certain times of the year above the town, but only in
areas which have not been physically altered by man.
Soda Butte Creek is much more alkaline than either of the other two
streams which were studied for this report. Even at station 322 the pH
was consistently near 7.0. Iron was the most concentrated dissolved heavy
metal. In the in-situ bioassays, a total of 90 percent of the test fish
were killed in dissolved iron concentrations ranging from 2 0 to 6 0 mq/1
No fish mortality occurred in the flow-through bioassay, where the'dissolved
iron concentration ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 mg/1. A standard method for
establishing safe concentrations of certain dissolved metals from bioassay
data is to multiply,the 96-hour median tolerance limit by 0.1. The median
tolerance limit is that concentration at which 50 percent of the test
organisms survive. Using the two extreme bioassay results, we can estimate
that 50 percent of the fish would have survived at an averaqe of the two
test concentrations, roughly 2.0 mg/1. Multiplying this value by 0.1 we get
?;Lr7 Tho~*n~e ™nc<:ntrflon *or long-term exposure of juvenile cutthroat
trout. Therefore, to significantly reduce the degraded conditions between
station 322 and 325 and to enhance the biological commluy e ow station 325,
the dissolved iron concentration at station 322 should not exceed 0.2 mg/1
at anytime. 3
102
-------
SECTION 6
RECLAMATION ALTERNATIVES
McLaren Mine Area
The sources of the pollutants at the McLaren mine site are: (1) run-
off water during snowmelt and rainfall periods that flush acidity, heavy
metals, etc., from the mine waste dump surface. These pollutants form as
a result of weathering of pyritic materials, and (2) water that infiltrated
into and percolated through the mine waste to resurface as seeps downgradient
from the disturbed area. As the water passes through the mine waste, its
concentration of heavy metals and acid significantly increases. Runoff
water probably produces 70 to 80 percent of the annual pollution load.
However, the highest concentration of acidity and metals occurs during low
flow periods, a critical time for aquatic life, when almost all of the
flow is from groundwater sources.
There are several solutions to the runoff problem: (1) reduce the
amount of water crossing the mine waste by diverting all outside sources
away and by reducing snow buildup on the mine site, (2) prevent contact
between surface runoff and the mine waste by means of a barrier, and (3)
prevent the weathering and erosion of the mine waste.
The diversion of water around the mine area would require a drainage
ditch above the highwall (Figure 41, page 104). With a minimum amount of
dozer work, one of the roads above the highwall could be used for this
purpose. The seep at site 101 and any others at the base of the highwall
should be diverted across the mine waste, discharging below the mine area
into a lined channel. Thus, this water would not have an opportunity to
infiltrate the mine waste or pick up pollutants as it passed across the
waste. The ditch should be sealed with bentonite and lined with coarse
gravel to prevent erosion.
To prevent the contact of surface water with the mine waste and to
prevent further weathering and erosion of the mine waste, the waste should
be covered with a soil-like material that does not contain pynte and
other acid- and heavy metal-producing materials. Since vegetation is very
difficult to establish at the higher elevations and extreme environment of
the mine site, an analysis was made of the material within the mine area
to locate materials suitable as cover.
As noted in Table 18, page 105, samples were analyzed for pH and per-
cent sulfur Six different methods were used to determine lime requirements
(LR) to neutralize the acid. The highest values for LR were obtained by the
103
-------
A Water Sample Site
sturbed Area
or Stream
FIGURE 41
Proposed McLaren mine reclamation plan.
-------
percent sulfur method. This method assumes that the sulfur, probably as
pyrite, will be oxidized to produce acid. This value is the more conserva-
tive. The neutralization potential measures the readily available acid,
as would the four-clay incubation method. Further research is needed to
determine the best method.
The results of the analysis show that the samples of mine waste (AU-1,
AU-2, AU-3, AU-4, and AU-5) had low pH's, high levels of sulfur, and large
lime requirements for soil (neutralization. Only the 0-3 m samples at AU-3
had favorable properties. In general, all of this material should be
buried with approximately 0.3 m of good material. It appears that cover
TABLE 18. CHARACTERISTICS OF MINE WASTE MATERIALS AT McLAREN MINE SITj_
Lime requirements
Metric tons per_hectare
Si tea
no.
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU2
AU2
AU3
AU3
AU4
AU4
AU5
AU5
AU6
AU6
own 2
owns
Depth
(m)
0-1.3
1.3-4.5
4.5-5.1
0-4.5
4.5-6.3
0-3
3-6
0-2.1
2.1-3
0-3
3-7.5
0-3
3-4.5
0-0.5
0-0.5
pH
2.4
2.8
2.6
2.6
3.0
5.8
3.1
2.3
2.5
2.2
2.5
2.4
2.9
4.4
4.2
From6
% S
28
15
17
21
41
23
18
75
115
18
18
72
103
6.5
6.5
Neut.c
Doten.
3.8
3.2
2.9
1.4
4.3
-10
3.8
3.7
3.0
2.4
1.7
2.9
1.8
1.6
0.7
Woodruffd
2.9
2.7
2.7
2.3
2.2
0
2.7
3.2
2.8
2.9
2,5
2.7
2.3
--
_ —
SMPe
9.2
8.4
8.4
7.4
6.8
1.9
7.9
9.7
8.4
8.7
7.6
8.9
7.T
— —
5-minf
incub.
5.5
5.5
5.5
3.9
4.5
0
6.3
6.3
6.1
4.5
4.3
5.6
3.3
— —
mm mm
4 -day 9
incub.
-h
--
4.3
3.0
3.0
--
4.6
5.0
--
--
--
4.8
—
— —
"
a See Figure 41, page 104; AU = auger hole, OW = observation well
b Lime requirements determined from percent sulfur as measured by
Leco Induction Furnace times 31.25. Gives the acidity that sulfur
would produce . ,__. .
c Neutralization potential. Determined by Smith et al., 1974. A
. negative value indicates alkalinity
d Woodruff method commonly used for agricultural soils _
6 SMP method. Council on Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, 1974
f Five-minute incubation with heat. Abruna and Vincente, 1955
9 Four-day incubation with heat. Dunn, 1943
h Dash indicates test not conducted on the sample
105
-------
material is available on the east and west end of the disturbed area
(represented by sites OW 112 and 115), Approximately 24,000 m3 would be
required. Further surveys and soil tests would have to conducted to deter-
mine the amount and exact location of suitable cover material.
It would be necessary to grade the surface of the mine area to eliminate
the depression, facilitate runoff, and minimize infiltration (Figure 41,
page 104). Shaping should be performed before covering with a growth-
supporting medium. Ultimate stabilization of the area would be with
vegetation. Johnston et al, (1975) of the U.S. Forest Service have con-
ducted research on revegetation at this site. Their recommendation is that
organic material be incorporated into the top 15 cm of the surface layer,
that lime be applied to raise the pH to levels tolerable to plants (from
1.8 T/ha to 3.6 T/ha of lime, based on OW 112 and 115), and that fertilizer
be applied at the equivalent rate of 111 kg N/ha. The area should be
planted with native seed at the rate of 56 kg/ha. The native transplant
material could be obtained near the McLaren site. This collection would
require a sizeable commitment of manpower, and would probably require two
seed harvesting years. Graded and "top soiled" areas not planted the first
year would have to be protected with a mulch. In addition, straw mulch
either crimped or tacked down with asphalt emulsion would be required to
provide a favorable microclimate for the seed and young plants. A
maintenance program to reseed areas that did not develop satisfactory
vegetation would be needed for a few years following initial seeding. The
total cost of reclamation at the McLaren mine site is estimated to be
$292,100 (Table 19, page 107).
Other alternative control methods such as covering with plastic or
other impermeable materials, and soil sealing with chemicals would not be
a permanent solution to the problem.
The effectiveness of the proposed reclamation is difficult to estimate,
since the exact source of the acid, heavy metals, etc., has not been pin-
pointed, especially during the critical snowmelt period. During construction
an increase in sediment and other pollutants may occur if a severe storm
occurs. However, since the area is small, grading and "soil" covering
should take place rather rapidly. Areas not planted the first year would
be protected with mulch.
If it is assumed that the grading and "soil covering" is effective in
increasing runoff, decreasing infiltration, and minimizing mine waste/water
contact, then a 90 percent improvement in water quality at site 109 could
result during the runoff period. The runoff should increase by 25 percent.
The total acid load during the runoff period in 1975 was 128 000 kg and
a 90 percent reduction would result in a remaining 12,800 kg of acid load.
The groundwater yielded an acid load of 26,800 kg in water year 1975 and
a 25 percent reduction would result in a remaining load of 19 900 kg
The total load was 154,800 kg, and after reclamation the load'would be
reduced to 32,700 kg or a decrease of 79 percent. A similar decrease in
other water quality parameters could be expected.
106
-------
TABLE 19. COST OF RECLAMATION AT McLAREN MINE SITE
Item
Quantity
Unit price Total price
Grading
Tailings material
Cover material
Diversion ditch along highwall
Bentonite seal
Excavation
Drainage ditch for seeps
Bentonite
Gravel
Revegetation
Collection and treatment
of seed
Fertilizer
Lime
Planting
Mulch
Maintenance
Engineering
Soil samples, surveys,
construction inspection, etc.
Indirect cost
20,600 m3
29,000 m3
4,500 k
640 m
1,450 kc
23 m;
$3.30/m3
3.30/m3
0.22/kc
3.30/m^
0.22/kc
13.00/m-:
385 kg
770 kg
24.8 T
6.9 ha.
3.1xl04kg
1 Job
44.16/kg
0.55/kg
286.70/T
1 ,450/ha
0.32/kg
5,000/Job
TOTAL
$68,000
95,000
1,000
2,000
300
300
17,000
400
7,100
10,000
10,000
5,000
50,000
26,000
$292.100
filpngary Mine Area
The major sources of the pollutants in the Fisher Creek ^ainage at
the Glengary mine site are: (1) the mine adits, and &>£* runoft wate
rs-js ffl ^^.rHT
some of the load settled out between the sources and site
Several alternative solutions to the adit P"bl« t
inflow of water into the mine should be sealed off. As noted
waer n
Page 16 annrnv-imatPlv 58 percent of the inflow (i
high 1nfl??£?1on periods)Penters the mine through
Flre
Figure
.
(it may be nigner curing
the two risers. These
107
-------
risers extend to the surface at the disturbed areas below the Scotch Bonnet
Mines. By proper grading and compaction around the risers and the waste
areas, runoff could be increased and infiltration decreased to significantly
reduce the flow from the adit. Sealing of the risers would also help to pre-
vent surface water from entering the mine adit. In addition to sealing the
risers, the adits could be sealed with an air or bulkhead seal. An air seal
would prevent air from entering the tunnel but allow water to exit (Figure 42,
page 109). Since pyrite is a major source of the acid, the lack of air in
the tunnel should result in a reduction in the oxidation of pyrite within
the mine. An air seal would be a wall constructed of concrete bricks and
would not be an impossible barrier to remove if the mine were to be opened
at a future date. Because of the limited entries into this mine, the
deep cover, and small size of the tunnel system, this method might be
effective in this situation. An air seal would have to be constructed at
each of the two adits into the mine.
A bulkhead seal would be composed of an impermeable plug in each of the
mine adits that would prevent water from discharging from the mine
(Figure 43, page 109) and ultimately cause flooding of the works. The
submerged condition would prevent pyrite oxidation and acid formation. The
relatively level nature of this tunnel, with low heads, great amounts of
overburden, and a thick outcrop, makes it appear that a bulkhead seal would
be physically feasible. Further investigations regarding the tunnel,
geology, and rock strength would be required before the exact location and
size of the bulkhead could be determined. Sealing of the adits with a
bulkhead would probably be opposed by the mine owners because of the
permanent nature of the seal and the mineral value still in the mine.
The acid contribution from the mine waste could be controlled by
grading the wastes and dumps to facilitate runoff (Figure 44, page 110) and
by covering them with a soil-like material. The graded areas should have
lime and fertilizer applied, be seeded with native vegetation, and have
mulch added. A revegetation program similar to that proposed for the
McLaren mine should be used. As noted in Table 20, page 111, suitable top-
soil material is available in the upper Glengary area. The mine waste near
the adit should be graded and covered with soil cover material obtained
from the upper area. The lower waste could be hauled to the upper waste
area and buried with the waste material at that site. However, this
alternative of hauling the lower waste material is not deemed feasible
because of the poor hauling road, steepness of the road, and the large
volume of waste material to be moved. The total costs for reclamation of
the Glengary mine site are estimated in Table 21, page 112.
The effectiveness of the above procedures may be estimated in the
following way:
1. The total acid load from the mine (site 205) is 13,400 kg per year.
An air seal would reduce the acid load by 40 to 70 percent. If a 66.7
percent reduction in load is assumed, the air seal reduces the acid load
by 8,900 kg per year. A bulkhead seal would reduce the acid load by 80 to
100 percent. If we assume a 95 percent reduction, the bulkhead seal would
reduce the acid load by 12,700 kg per year.
108
-------
FIGURE 42
OPENING
IN WALL
Cross section of air seal.
ORIGINAL
GROUND
SURFACE
i I) '/' ii)/« '(if
FIGURE 43
CONCRETE WALL
Cross section of bulkhead seal.
109
-------
A Water Sample Site
CH?Disturbed Area
Creek or Stream
Soil Sample Site
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE
IN FEET M S L
FIGURE 44
Proposed Glengary mine reclamation plan
-------
TABLE 20. CHARACTERISTICS OF MINE WASTE MATERIALS AT 6LENGARY MINE SITE
Lime requirements9
Metric tons per hectare
Siteb
no.
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU1
AU1
UNO
UNO
UNO
UNO
DUMP
DUMP
DUMP
Depth
(m)
0-1.5
1.5-3
3-4.5
4.5-6
6-7.5
7.5-9
9-10.5
10.5-12
12-13.5
0-0.5
0.5-1
1-2
2-2.5
0-0.5
1.5-1.8
2.4-2.7
pH
2.8
3.1
3.2
3.9
3.6
4.1
3.9
3.7
3.7
5.1
5.0
5.6
4.1
2.8
3.1
3.3
From
% S
28
15
104
305
167
281
363
362
200
1.4
1.4
1.4
8.4
74.5
29.6
14.0
Neut.c
poten.
-3.1
-2.1
-2.8
-1.8
-1.7
0
0.7
0.5
1.2
1.2
0.4
0.4
0.5
-3.3
-2.2
-1.6
Woodruff
2.7
2.7
2.3
1.8
__d
__
__
__
—
0.5
0
0
0.7
2.8
2.5
2.9
SMP
7.6
1.6
6.3
5.0
__
__
__
—
3.8
1.9
1.9
5.0
7.9
6.8
7.9
5-min
incub.
4.9
4.5
4.0
3.0
__
__
__
—
1.6
__
__
1.7
4.8
3.6
4.6
Methods used for determining lime requirements are the same as those
described in Table 18, page 105- The four-day incubation test was
. not conducted on the above samples.
See Figure 44, page 110; AU = auger hole, UND = undisturbed soil,
DUMP = dump material.
c Negative value means alkalinity.
d Dash indicates sample not tested.
2. The total acid load from the upper Glengary mine area (load at
site 207 minus load at site 205) during the snowmelt period is 14,700 kg.
If we assume a 90 percent reduction in acid load from grading and covering
the mine wastes, the load reduction is 13,200 kg.
If an air seal is constructed in the mine adit and the mine wastes are
graded and covered, we could expect an acid load of 5,900 kg, a 79 percent
reduction of the load at site 207. If a bulk seal is installed in the mine
and the mine wastes are graded and covered, the acid load at site 207 would
111
-------
be 2,100 kg, a reduction of 93 percent.
quality parameters could be expected.
A similar decrease in other water
TABLE 21. COST OF RECLAMATION AT GLENGARY MINE SITE
Item Quantity
Infiltration control
Grading
Upper dump 9,300 m3
Lower dump 4,500 m3
Revegetation
Collection of seed 175 kg
Fertilizer 350 kg
Lime 11.2 T
Planting 3.1 ha
Mulch 1.4xl04kg
Maintenance 1 Job
Engineering
Soil samples, surveys,
construction inspection, etc.
Indirect Cost
Mine sealing
Air seal
Clean two adits
Construct two seals
Engineering
Indirect cost
Bulkhead seal
Clean two adits
Construction of two seals
Grouting
Engineering
Geologic investigation, borings,
construction inspection, plans, etc.
Indirect cost
Unit price
$3.30/m3
3.30/m3
44.16/kg
0.55/kg
286. 7/T
1 ,450/ha
0.32/kg
2,000/Job
TOTAL
TOTAL
TOTAL
Total or ice
$30,700
14,900
7,700
200
3,200
4,500
4,500
2,000
$20,000
8,000
$95,700
$ 4,000
10,000
2,000
2,000
$18,000
$ 4,000
10,000
10,000
25,000
5,000
$54,000
112
-------
McLaren Mill Area
The source of pollution at the McLaren mill area is the mill tailings
pile. Water entering the tailings material from Soda Butte Creek, from rain
and snowmelt on the tailings, and from runoff from the drainage above the
pile passes through the tailings and discharges into Soda Butte Creek, thus
polluting Soda Butte Creek below the tailings pile. The following alterna-
tives are available to reduce the pollutant loads that enter Soda Butte
Creek: (1) mill tailings removal, (2) effluent treatment, and (3) infil-
tration control.
Mill Tailings Removal
One alternative for reducing the pollution to Soda Butte Creek is_to
remove the tailings material. The actual removal would involve stripping
the existing topsoil material from the tailings pile, stock-piling the top-
soil, and using it for revegetation once the tailings material is removed.
Removal of the tailings should be conducted in such a way as to prevent
the tailings material from being washed into Soda Butte Creek. This may be
accomplished by starting excavation on the west (downstream) side of the
dump and excavating to the east. Also, Soda Butte Creek should be isolated
from the dump by piping the flows around the dump during excavation. A
small dam should be built below the tailings to catch and treat sediment
and polluted flows from the tailings during excavation. Once all of the
tailings material is removed, Soda Butte Creek should be rechanneled back
to its location before tailings were placed in the channel. The topsoil
should be replaced on the disturbed area, fertilized, and planted with
grass seed suitable for the area. Figure 45, page 114, is a cross section
of Soda Butte CreeJ< before and after removal of the mill tailings pile.
While considering removal of the mill dump, we must examine what will be
done with the tailings material. One possibility is to haul the material
to a smelter, concentrate the tailings, and recover the minerals still eft
in the tailings. Total value of the minerals is estimated at $4,747 m lion
(March 1977 prices). The nearest smelter which could recover the metals
is located at East Helena, Montana, 500 km from Cooke City. It was assumed
for this alternative that the cost of concentrating and recovering the
metals would be offset by the sale of minerals re"^f:™^0^ ofsince
SIKH krtf ^
'S^^^^^
the railroad near Belfry, Montana.
Another oossibility for this alternative is to relocate the tailings at
another* te n e Jootlity area. An ideal site for the new tailings
Pile should have the following characteristics: /J *eJ'^VaV
than 8 km from present sites, (2) be located on a rise «£ sunmitwd
i la , c a.
113
-------
EXISTING SODA
BUTTE CREEK
TAILINGS MA E RlA L
ORIGINAL
GROUND
SURFACE
SODA BUTTE CREEK
AFTER THE MILL
DUMP IS REMOVED
FIGURE 45
Cross section of McLaren mill pile and
Soda Butte Creek before and after
tailings removal.
-------
new tailings pile will have to be determined once the exact location for the
new pile is located; however, the pile will probably be conical in shape and
require approximately 2.5 ha of land. During construction of the new dump,
the tailings should be compacted to maximum density. After construction,
the pile should be covered with 0.5 m of topsoil, have fertilizer added,
and be seeded with grass suitable for the area.
A third possibility for disposal of the mill tailings material would be
to bury it at an underground disposal site such as an old mine If a mine
or several mines were found that had enough volume for the tailings, they
could be dumped into vertical shafts or sluiced into horizontal tunnels.
The cost of removing the mill tailings is given in Table 22.
TABLE 22. COST OF REMOVING McLAREN MILL TAILINGS
Excavation site
Topsoil
Removal and replacement
Tailings excavation
Sediment dam
Treatment during construction
(lime)
Soda Butte rerouting pipe
(61 cm diam.)
Fertilizer and seeding
Engineering and indirect cost
25,000 m3
87,000 mj
750 m3
3.5 T
300 m
4.0 ha
$ 6.50/m3
0.75/m3
6.50/m3
286.70/T
39.80/m
1,750/ha
TOTAL
Total price
$162,500
65,300
4,900
1,000
11,950
7,000
50.000.
$302,650
Disposal site
Smelting
Haul - 500 km
New site
Topsoil
Remove and replace
Haul - 8 km
Compaction
Fertilizer and seed
Engineering and indirect cost
Underground disposal
Haul - 8 km
Engineering and indirect cost
87,000 nr
7,700 m3
87,000 m3
87,000 md
2.5 ha
87,000 mc
0.07/m3km $3,045,000
6.50/m3
0.07/rT km
0.13/m3
1,750/ha
TOTAL
50,000
48,700
11,300
4,400
25.000
$139,400
48,700
20,000
0.07/nrkrn
TOTAL $68,700
115
-------
Removing the mine tailings at Cooke City would result in a 100 percent
reduction in pollutant load in Soda Butte Creek from the tailings pile. The
complete reduction would probably not be realized until several years after
removal since some polluted groundwater would have to drain from the area
that surrounded the tailings pile. It would also take several years for
Soda Butte Creek to stabilize once it is rerouted back to its old channel,
now beneath the tailings pile.
The AMD problem at Cooke City would be solved if the tailings pile is
removed, but the potential for AMD may exist at sites where the pile would
be relocated. If the tailings are sent to a smelter, the potential for
pollution problems exists at the smelter waste site; however, it is hoped
that those sites would not create environmental problems. The alternative
of relocating the tailings to another site could create AMD problems at that
site. As noted in the characteristics of an ideal site for the new tailings
pile, care must be taken in selecting a site that is essentially isolated
from any groundwater or surface water that may infiltrate the tailings
material. If the pile is properly compacted and located at an ideal site,
AMD from the new tailings pile should be zero. The last alternative
dumping the tailings in old mines, also has the potential for creating
pollution problems. Care must be taken once the mine has been filled with
tailings so that all AMD from the mines is treated or the mines are sealed.
These problems can only be solved once the mines to be filled are selected
and analyzed for AMD potential.
Effluent Treatment
< The second alternative for reducing the AMD at the McLaren mill area
is to treat the effluent from the tailings pile. Basically this would be
accomplished by installing a dike below the tailings pile to collect all of
the seeps, treating this polluted water, and building a dam below the dike
to be used as a settling pond for the treated water. The location of the
dike, treating plant, and settling pond are shown in Figure 46, page 117.
Treatment of the Affluent from the tailings pile should be with a typical
lime^neutralization process using hydrated lime. A schematic diagram of
ILiIe£Tt-pla!!VS Shown.1n Fi?Ure 47' page 118' The treatment plant
should be designed for a maximum flow of 28 Ips. Based upon an acidity
value of 150 mg/1 at maximum flows, the maximum lime requirement is about
340 kg per day. For low flows, such as 2.8 Ips, the lime requirements
are 34 kg per day. Flows greater than 28 Ips, which would occur rarely,
would be passed by the lime treatment plant. The amount of lime added to
the effluent would be controlled by a device measuring the flow of
water passing through the treatment plant. Once the lime has been added
to the effluent, it would flow by gravity over baffles to induce mixing
and aeration and into the settling pond. The settling pond should retain
the treated effluent for no less than 12 hours, and then flow by gravity
to Soda Butte Creek. The settling pond would be 7,000 m3 in size and
would need cleaning approximately once every 50 years. Soda Butte Creek
would have to be lined with riprap next to the settling pond dam to prevent
erosion of the dam. The estimated cost of treating the effluent is
itemized in Table 23, page 119.
116
-------
FIGURE 46
Proposed location of treatment plant and settling pond
at McLaren mill area.
-------
X"
TAILINGS
PILE
LIME
00
SODA BUTTE CREEK
FIGURE 47
Proposed lime neutralization process at
McLaren mill area.
-------
TABLE 23, COST OF TREATING EFFLUENT FROM McLAREN MILL TAILINGS
Item
Collection dam and dike
Riprap
Treatment plant
Engineering and indirect cost
Quantity
4,600 m3
100 m3
1
Unit price
$ 3.30/m3
130/m3
250,000 each
TOTAL
Total price
$151,800
1,300
250,000
80,000
$483,100
Annual cost
Lime
Maintenance (wages, electric)
50 T
1 Job
$268.70/T
1 Job
S 14,300
15.000
29,300
By treating the effluent from the tailings pile with lime, we could
expect a reduction in pollutant load of 80 to 90 percent. If the total
annual iron load from the tailings pile (sites 320 and 321) is 35,680 kg of
iron, an 80 percent reduction would reduce the Tron load to 7,140 kg per year.
The physical feasibility of operating a lime treatment plant below the
tailings pile is very limited. The great snow depths and very cold weather
characteristic of the area would limit access to and operation of the treat-
ment plant. Cold weather in the winter months would probably freeze any
baffles and weirs at the treatment plant, as well as freezing the collection
and settling ponds.
infiltration Control
The last alternative for controlling the AMD from the McLaren mill dump
is to control the inflow into and out of the tailings pile. ™is can be
accomplished by re-sealing the dam on the lower end of the tailings P J* a™
rechannellng Soda Butte Creek. The dm at the lower end of the tailings pile
would have to be resealed with a layer of ™P/710U* J^T?! an?SSrvlius
page 120). The impervious seal should extend from bedrock or an ™PeJJlous
horizontal zone up to the top of the dam at elevation 2,329 m. The dam
should extend from the north side of Soda Butte Creek, aero s Soda Butte
Creek, and across the face of the tailings pi e to the spil way on the south
side of the tailings pile (Figure 49, page 12 )• J^.eJ's* "?J°:?th
-tfJBr?£LS^r1 ' ss*
^
119
-------
TOP OF DAM-
TAILINGS . ,
MATERIAL:^0-'
EXISTING GROUND
SURFACE
ELEV 2320m OR BEDROCK
FIGURE 48
Cross section of proposed dam,at
McLaren mill tailings pile.
120
-------
CONTOUR ELEVATIONS ARE IN FEET H 5 L
FIGURE 49
Proposed location of new dam and Soda Butte
Creek channel at the McLaren mill area.
-------
existing Soda Butte Creek. The new channel would intercept Soda Butte Creek
15 m above the tailings pile and carry Soda Butte Creek flows to the north
end of the new dam. The new channel would have a 6.1 m bottom, 2:1 side
slopes, 2.5 m top width dike along the south edge of the new channel, and
have a slope of 0.002 m/m. A spillway in the dike at the upper end of the
tailings pile would allow flows greater than the 100-year flood to spill from
the new Soda Butte Creek channel, across the mill dump to the spillway on the
west end of the dump, and eventually into Soda Butte Creek. The new channel
should be lined with bentonite. At the end of the new Soda Butte Creek
channel, at the north end of the new dam, a 6.1 m concrete drop structure
would be built to carry Soda Butte Creek flows from the new channel above the
dam, to the existing channel below the tailings pile. A drainage ditch would
also have to be built along the south edge of the tailings pile to drain run-
off from the hillside away from the mill dump. An itemized cost of this
alternative is presented in Table 24.
TABLE 24. COST OF CONTROLLING INFILTRATION INTO THE McLAREN MILL DUMP
Item
Quantity
Unit price Total price
Fill existing Soda Butte Creek
channel
New Soda Butte Creek
Bentonite
Dam
Impervious material
Drain material
Cover material
Drainage ditch
Drop structure
Concrete
Reinforcing steel
Riprap
Excavation
Backfill
3,600 m
3,900 m3
49,000 kg
3,540 ml
1,130 m3
1,130 nr
45 m3
109 m
5,150 kg
70 m|
760 ntf
490 m
$ 3.30/nT $ 11,900
3
3.30/m^
0.11/kg
6.60/m3
3.30/m3
3.30/m3
3.30/m3
780/m'
1.32/k
13.00/m
1.65/m^
3.30/m3
12,900
5,400
23,400
3,700
3,700
150
85,000
6,800
910
1,250
1,600
TOTAL $156,710
The alternative of reducing the effluent from the McLaren tailings pile
should reduce the pollutant load dumped into Soda Butte Creek by 95 to 100
percent. If the new dam is extended down to bedrock or an impervious layer
beneath the tailings, and effectively seals the downstream face of the pile,
the infiltration from the tailings should be completely stopped.
122
-------
REFERENCES
Abruna, F., and J. Vincente. 1955. Refinement of a quantitative method for
determining the lime requirements of soils. J. Agr. Univ. Puerto Rico,
XXXIX(l): 41-45.
Carlson, J. J. 1975. Reliable mineral supply for the future? Mining
Cong. J., 61(11): 42-47.
Council on Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 1974. Handbook on Reference
Methods for Soil Testing. 2400 College Station Road, Athens,
Georgia 30601.
Dunn, L. E. 1943. Lime requirement determination of soils by means of
tftratfon curves. Soil Sci., 56:341-351.
Elliott, J. E. 1973. Preliminary geologic map of the southwest part of
the Cooke City quadrangle, Montana. U.S.G.S. Open-file report.
Eyrich, H. T. 1969. Economic geology of part of the New World mining
district, Park County, Montana. Ph.D. Dissertation, Washington
State University, Pullman, Washington. 130 pp.
Haggard, J. L. 1975. Statement of American Mining Congress on Senate
Bill 2371. Mining Cong. J., 61(11): 60-62.
Higqins G L , Jr. 1974. Progress report. Acid mine drainage control;
" feasibility siudy! Cooke City, Montana. First Annual Report Mon ana
Bureau of Mines and Geology to Montana Department of Natural Resources
and Conservation. 27 pp.
Holmes, A. 1965. Principles of Physical Geology, 2nd ed. Ronald Press,
New York. 1288 pp.
.
Igi?1»nd Drainage Division, American Society of
Civil Engineering, Logan, Utah.
Knudson, K, and C *tes 1976 "na, report:
Zl o7£h"afn5SG»%ortt &U Department of Natura! Resources
and Conservation. 58 pp.
123
-------
Langmuir, D. 1971. Particle size effect on the reaction goethite-hematite
and water. Amer. J. Sci., 271:147-156.
Langmuir, D., and D. 0. Whittemore. 1971. Variations in the stability of
precipitated ferric oxyhydroxides. In: Nonequilibrium Systems in
Natural Water Chemistry. R. F. Could, ed. American Chemical Society,
Washington, D. C. pp. 209-234.
Lovering, T. S. 1929. The New World or Cooke City mining district, Park
County, Montana. U.S.G.S. Bull. 811-A. 87pp.
Smith, R. M., W. E. Grube, Jr., T. Arkle, Jr. and A. Sobek. 1974 (October).
Mine spoil potentials for soil and water quality. EPA 670/2-74-070,
U.S. Environmental Portection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sonderegger, J. H., J. J. Wallace, Jr., and G. L. Higgins, Jr. 1976. Acid
mine drainage control: feasibility study, Cooke City, Montana.
Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Open-file report 23. 197 pp.
Stumm, W., and J. J. Morgan. 1970. Aquatic Chemistry. Wiley-Interscience,
New York. 583 pp.
Truesdell, A. H., and B. F. Jones. 1973. WATEQ, A computer program for
calculating chemical equilibria of natural waters. U.S.G.S., Water
Resources Division Report No. 73-007. NTIS PB-270-464.
U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey. 1975. Mineral resource
perspective. Prof. Paper 940. 24 pp.
Wallace, J. J., Jr., J.L. Sonderegger, and G. L. Higgins, Jr. 1975.
Acid mine drainage control: feasibility study, Cooke City, Montana.
Second Annual Report, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to Montana
Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. 39 pp.
Whittemore, D.O. 1973. The chemistry and mineralogy of ferric oxyhydroxides
precipitated in sulfate solutions. Ph.D. Dissertation, Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
Whittemore, D. 0., and D. Langmuir. 1972. Standard electrode potential of
Fe3+ + e- = Fe2+ from 5-350C. J. Chem. Eng. Data, 17(3):288-290.
1974. Ferric hydroxide microparticles in water. Environ.
Health Perspective, 9:173-176.
• 1975. The solubility of ferric oxyhydroxides in natural waters.
Ground Water, 13(4):360-365.
124
-------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cooper, H. H., Jr., J. D. Bredehoeft, and I. S. Papadopulos. 1967.
Response of a finite-diameter well to an instantaneous charge of water.
Water Resources Res., 3(1):263-269.
Ferris, J, G., and D. B. Knowles. 1954. The slug test for estimating
transmissibility. U.S.G.S. Ground Water Note 26. 7 pp.
Ferris, J. G., D. B. Knowles, R. H. Brown, and R. W. Stallman. 1962. The
theory of aquifer tests. U.S.G.S. Water Supply Paper 1536-E. 174 pp.
Kennedy, V. C., G. W. Zellweger, and B. F. Jones. 1974. Filter pore-size
effects on the analysis of Al, Fe, Mn, and Ti in water. Water
Resources Res. 10(4):785-790.
Swaisgood, J. R., and G. C. Toland. 1973. Control of water in tailings
structures. Dames and Moore Eng. Bull. 41:17-28.
Theis, C. V. 1935. The relation between the lowering of the piezometric
surface and the rate and duration of discharge of a well using ground-
water storage. Amer. Geophys. Union Trans., Part 2:519-524.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1973 (October). Processes, procedures,
and methods to control pollution from mining activities. EPA 430/9-
73-011, Washington, D. C.
125
-------
APPENDIX A: CONVERSION FACTORS
Metric System
megameter =
myriameter =
kilometer* =
hectometer =
decameter
meter* =
decimeter =
centimeter* =
millimeter* =
micrometer =
*commonly used units
1,000,000
10,000
1,000
100
10
1
.1
.01
.001
.000001
meters
meters
meters
meters
meters
meters
meters
meters
meters
meters
Multiply. . .
miles
yards
feet
inches
inches
kilometers
meters
meters
centimeters
mi 1 1 imeters
Length
By. . .
1.609
.9144
.3048
2.54
25.4
.631
1.094
3.2809
.3937
.03937
To obtain. . .
kilometers
meters
meters
centimeters
millimeters
miles
yards
feet
inches
inches
126
-------
Multiply. . .
square miles
acres
acres
square feet
square inches
square miles
acres
square kilometers
square meters
square meters
square centimeters
Multiply. .
acre-feet
acre-feet
cubic feet
cubic feet
U.S. gallons
acre-feet
cubic feet
million gallons
cubic meters
cubic meters
liters
1i ters
Multiply. .
pounds
tons (short)
kilograms
tons (metire)
Area
By. . .
2.59
.004047
4,047
.0929
6.4516
640
43,560
.3861
.000247
10.764
.155
Volume
By. . .
.001233
1,233
.02832
28.32
3.785
358,851
7.48
3.07
.00081
35.3147
.0353
.2642
Mass
By. . .
.4536
.9072
2.2046
1.1023
To obtain. . .
square kilometers
square kilometers
square meters
square meters
square centimeters
acres
square feet
square miles
acres
square feet
square inches
To obtain. . .
cubic hectometers
cubic meters
cubic meters
liters
liters
U.S. gallons
U.S. gallons
acre-feet
acre-feet
cubic feet
cubic feet
U.S. gallons
To obtain.
kilograms
tons (metric)
pounds
tons (short)
127
-------
Multiply. . .
gallons per minute
cubic feet per second
cubic feet per second
gallons per minute
cubic feet per second
cubic feet per second
cubic feet per second
cubic feet per second
liters per second
liters per second
cubic meters per second
Multiply. . .
feet per second
feet per second
feet per second
feet per second
miles per hour
meters per second
Flow
By. . .
.06309
.02832
28.32
.00223
1.9835
40
448.8
724
.03531
15.85
35.31
Velocity
By. . .
.3048
1.097
30.48
.68
1.4666
3.2808
To obtain. . .
liters per second
cubic meters per second
liters per second
cubic feet per second
acre-feet per day
Montana Miners inch
U.S. gallons per minute
acre-feet per year
cubic feet per second
gallons per minute
cubic feet per second
To obtain. . .
meters per second
kilometers per hour
centimeters per second
miles per hour
feet per second
feet per second
128
-------
TEMPERATURE
The values in the body of the table give the equivalent, in degrees Fahrenheit,
of the temperatures indicated in degrees Centigrade at the top and side.
°C 0 1 23456789
100 212.0 213.8 215.6 217.4 219.2 221.0 222.8 224.6 226.4 228.2
90 194.0 195.8 197.6 199.4 201.2 203.0 204.8 206.6 208.4 210.2
80 176.0 177.8 179.6 181.4 183.2 185.0 186.8 188.6 190.4 192.2
70 158.0 159.8 161.6 163.4 165.2 167.0 168.8 170.6 172.4 174.2
60 140.0 141.8 143.6 145.4 147.2 149.0 150.8,152.6 154.4 156.2
50 122.0 123.8 125.6 127.4 129.2 131.0 132.8 134.6 136.4 138.2
40 104.0 105.8 107.6 109.4 111.2 113.0 114.8 116.6 118.4 120.2
30 86.0 87.8 89.6 91.4 93.2 95.0 96.8 98.6 100.4 102.2
20 68.0 69.8 71.6 73.4 75.2 77.0 78.8 80.6 82.4 84.2
10 50.0 51.8 53.6 55.4 57.2 59.0 60.8 62.6 64.4 66.2
0 32.0 33.8 35.6 37.4 39.2 41.0 42.8 44.6 46.4 48.2
-0 32.0 30.2 28.4 26.6 24.8 23.0 21.2 19.4 17.6 15.8
-10 14.0 12.2 10.4 8.6 6.8 5.0 3.2 1.4 -0.4 -2.2
-20 -4.0 -5.8 -7.6 -9.4 -11.2 -13.0 -14.8 -16.6 -18.4 -20.2
-30 -22.0 -23.8 -25.6 -27.4 -29.2 -31.0 -32.8 -34.6 -36.4 -38.2
-40 -40.0 -41.8 -43.6 -45.5 -47.2 -49.0 -50.8 -52.6 -54.4 -56.2
-50 -58.0 -59.8 -61.6 -63.4 -65.2 -67.0 -68.8 -70.6 -72.4 -74.2
-60 -76.0 -77.8 -79.6 -81.4 -83.2 -85.0 -86.8 -88.6 -90.4 -92.2
-70 -94.0 -95.8 -97.6 -99.4 -101.2 -103.0 -104.8 -106.6 -108.4 -110.2
-80 -112.0 -113.8 -115.6 -117.4 -119.2 -121.0 -122.8 -124.6 -126.4 -128.2
-90 -130.0 -131.8 -133.6 -135.4 -137.2 -139.0 -140.8 -142.6 -144.4 -146.2
-100 -148.0 -149.9 -151.6 -153.4 -155.2 -157.0 -158.8 -160.6 -162.4 -164.2
129
-------
APPENDIX B
CLIMATIC DATA
The weather station closest to the project area is in Cooke City,
Montana, at an altitude of 2,302 m. Table B-l summarizes the monthly
temperature data and Table B-2 summarizes the monthly precipitation data.
These data were compiled from "Climatological Data", published by the U.S.
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Environmental Data Service, through their National Climatic Center,
Federal Building, Ashville, North Carolina 28801.
130
-------
TABLE B-l. SUMMARY OF MONTHLY TEMPERATURE DATA AT COOKE CITY, MONTANA (°C)
Year Jan
1967
1968 -10.06
1969 -8.56
1970 -8.44
1971 -8.78
1972 -11.06
1973 -10.94
1974 -10.56
1975 -11.83
1976 -4.00
Ave -9.36
Feb
..
-5.44
-7.94
-5.50
-8.50
-6.94
-6.56
-7.44
-9.72
-8.11
-7.35
Mar
__
-3.00
-7.22
-6.44
-5.89
-2.11
-4.72
-4.94
-6.56
-8.06
-5.44
Apr
„
-2.56
1.89
-4.83
-1.28
-0.17
-2.61
0.61
-3.72
0.00
-1.41
TABLE B-2. SUMMARY OF
Year Jan
1967
1968 45.0
1969 133.6
1970 107.2
1971 115.1
1972 96.5
1973 27.2
1974 68.8
1975 103.9
1976 84.1
Ave 86.8
Feb
_.
53.8
24.9
39.6
66.5
52.3
10.4,
38.1
49.3
83.6
46.5
Mar
__
37.1
12.7
61.2
64.0
75.7
18.0
115.6
50.3
53.9
54.3
Apr
__
17.0
40.4
66.8
43.2
35.3
61.7
24.9
45.5
64.3
44.3
May June
._
3.94 8.67
6.33 7.50
4.44 10.11
5.44 9.56
5.11 10.00
__ —
2.94 10.56
2.50 7.00
5.61 8.22
4.54 8.96
July
._
13.67
12.28
13.33
12.39
11.67
12.89
14.22
14.33
13.83
13.18
MONTHLY PRECIPITATION
May June
..
51.3 97.3
59.7 109.5
61.7 62.2
23.4 30.5
26.2 87.4
—
76.7 69.1
65.5 86.4
28.7 90.9
49.2 79.2
J _
July
__
32.3
55.1
60.5
56.4
52.6
27.2
29.0
64.3
33.3
45.6
Aug
„
10.33
14.00
14.33
15.28
12.61
12.94
11.06
10.06
11.44
12.45
DATA AT
Aug
_ _
155.7
17.3
38.9
42.4
40.4
44.2
66.5
41.1
46.2
54.7
Sept
__
7.28
9.61
5.28
5.72
5.67
7.56
8.00
7.44
8.89
7.27
COOKE
Sept
_ _
106.4
47.0
94.0
60.2
118.4
73.7
14.7
26.2
90.2
70.1
Oct
„
2.22
-0.61
-0.06
1.22
2.00
3.44
3.72
1.72
--
1.71
Nov
-4.61
-6.22
-4.67
-3.83
-4.83
-5.61
-4.72
-5.06
-7.31
--
-5.21
Dec
-11.94
-11,11
-8.61
-9.33
-10.67
-12.00
-8.00
-10.94
-7.61
—
-10.02
Ave
0.64
1.17
0.75
0.81
0.76
1.01
-0.31
0.69
CITY, MONTANA (mm)
Oct
_ _
50.8
34.5
30.2
37.3
31.7
14.5
46.7
83.1
--
41.1
Nov
60.5
70.4
67.6
71.9
49.3
28.7
57.4
18.0
78.5
--
55.8
Dec
80.3
46.7
57.9
43.2
66.0
49.5
75.7
47.8
61.7
—
58.8
Ave
763.8
660.1
737.4
654.3
694.7
615.9
755.8
697.4
Dashes indicate data not recorded.
Maximum daily precipitation was 31.8 mm on June 5, 1974.
-------
APPENDIX C
METHODS OF INVESTIGATION
Introduction
The purpose of this section is to provide an adequate discussion of the
equipment and methods employed, so that the reader can evaluate the
reliability of the data. This is particularly necessary for water quality
sampling and sample handling, as methods and equipment used are in a state
of continuous change and improvement.
Surface Water^Hydrology
The 100, 200, and 300 series site numbers refer to the McLaren mine
area, the Glengary mine area, and the McLaren mill site, respectively.
Four weirs, three rectangular weirs constructed of plywood and one triangular
weir constructed from boiler plate, v/ere installed in 1974 at sample sites
109 (Daisy Creek), 207 (Fisher Creek), 322 (Soda Butte Creek), and 321 (mill
site culvert weir), respectively. Staff gauges were installed on the sides
of the plywood weirs to facilitate measuring the flow during periods of
high runoff. Stilling wells with recorders were installed at the plywood
weirs; however, these wells tended to freeze up during the spring runoff in
1975. Consequently many of the streamflow measurements for these sites were
obtained by a Gurley (pigmy model) flow meter. These data were obtained by
the local employee (Albert Brubaker), who was instructed in the measurement
methods by the DNRC Hydro!ogist, Melvin McBeath.
Precipitation and temperature data were taken from "Climatological
Data", a monthly publication of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The
Cooke City weather station is located at an altitude of 2,302 m. Ten years
of temperature and precipitation data were available at the close of this
study and are presented in Appendix B.
Groundwater Hydrology
Routine water-level measurements in wells at the three research sites
were obtained by the local employee using a steel tape graduated in
hundredths of a foot. Elevations of the wells were surveyed by plane table
methods from the nearest bench marks. Absolute elevation errors are thought
to be less than 0.3 m at the mill site and less than 3 m at the mine sites.
Relative elevation errors between wells at each site are believed to be less
than 30.5 mm.
132
-------
Fifteen cased wells installed in the tailings pond study area in 1973
and 1974 were used to measure water levels and to collect water samples for
analysis. Nine cased wells were installed in 1974 at the mine sites, six
on the McLaren property and three at the Glengary site. All of these wells
were constructed by putting casing within a backhoe-dug hole and refilling
the hole. The basic information about all of the wells is included in
Appendix G.
Geologic Happing
In the mine areas, mapping was begun on a scale of 25.4 mm = 61 m, but
the structural complexities required scales as large as 25.4 mm = 3 m. The
variability of exposures, ranging from 100 percent on open pit faces to
zero percent on talus slopes, and the inability to extend the mapping of small
features beneath covered areas led to the abandonment of detailed mapping.
Major lithologic units, faults, and alteration were mapped from the south
end of the McLaren mine area across Fisher Mountain to the upper adit on the
west side of Scotch Bonnet Mountain. Variations in grain size and mafic
mineral content of the igneous rocks were noted but were not thought to be
of sufficient importance to justify delineating the boundaries of such
variations. No irrefutable structural evidence was found indicating that the
diorite dike adjacent to the fel site breccia on the north end of Fisher
Mountain does predate the breccia, but the pervasive alteration and
mineralization of the dike strongly supports this interpretation.
Water Sample Collection and Handling
The water samples collected in areas affected by sulfide mining are
frequently in a state of disequilibrium. Metals capable of two or more
oxidation states may be predominantly in the lower oxidation state, owing to
oxygen depletion resulting from sulfide ion oxidation. As the affected
waters interact with atmospheric oxygen in wells and mine seeps or as base-
flow contribution to streams, oxidation of the metals in the lower valence
state begins. Even if the sample bottles are gas tight, some additional
oxygen is normally introduced while getting the sample into the collection
bottle. Consequently, the unpreserved samples that the laboratory analyzes
may be altered by the precipitation of metals oxidized to a higher valence
state.
The following steps were taken to provide information about transient
species with changing concentrations as a function of sample handling.
(1} Conductivity, pH, and temperature were measured in the field or
shortly after collection on a routine basis.
(2) Samples from selected sites, for iron and aluminum analyses.
were routinely sampled four ways: raw, raw acidified, filtered,
and filtered acidified. Filtration was by positive pressure
?hrnnoh o 45 micron filters. Acidification employed the addition
If one9 voiume JSSn!-high-quality (J. T. Baker No. 5-9603) nitric
acid, added from premeasured ampules.
133
-------
(3) Specific conductance, pH, and oxidation-reduction (redox)
potential were measured in the field at the time of sampling to
evaluate the extent of disequilibrium at the time of collection.
the redox values were repoducible with very little drift or error
(± 3 millivolts), suggesting that these high-iron systems are very
highly poised.
(4) "Total" metal values were obtained from samples at selected sites
to compare with data collected by other agencies.
Because of the climatic and terrain conditions, some procedural
problems were encountered. Winter access to the mine areas is difficult,
snowmobiles being the only efficient means of travel. The machines used
had very little cargo space, and one man could not carry both the necessary
number of sample bottles and the necessary meters and filtration apparatus.
Winter tests of the conductivity and pH meters under field conditions by a
two-man team were not satisfactory, and the practice was abandoned.
Water samples collected from the wells must be viewed with some
suspicion. The physical setting and equipment provided by the grantee re-
quired the use of shallow wells. As water levels declined in the fall, little
water remained in these wells, and the samples collected were turbid. Part of
this turbidity was undoubtedly due to the precipitation of ferric hydroxide
within the wells. Some ferric hydroxide of colloidal size undoubtably passed
through the 0.45 micron filters, resulting in slightly higher dissolved iron
values. Cation-anion balances of both surface water and groundwater samples
were generally good (differences of less than 2.5 percent, but for well
samples containing iron in concentrations greater than 1,000 mg/1, larger
differences occurred. This is attributed to the standard practice of cal-
culating iron milliequivalents as Fe3+ when considerable FeOH2+, Fe*+,
Fe(OH)2+, FeS04+, and colloidal Fe(OH)3 must have existed in solution.
One of the major problems in designing the collection program was
related to biological questions. It was known that iron and aluminum in
high concentrations are toxic to fish. The effect of particle size, partic-
ularly in the collodial region, was not known, and the question: "What
fraction of the analytically determined iron and aluminum values are bio-
logically active?" was partly responsible for the sample treatment pro-
cedures used. The practice of determining "total" metals employing an
acid cook-down procedure was rejected by the Bureau investigators as not
being relevant to the affected ecosystem. This makes comparison of data
collected by Bureau personnel with data from investigators who have preferred
"total" values somewhat risky, despite the one set of samples collected for
"total" metal values.
Lastly, surface water samples were collected as grab samples because
bottles for the depth-integrated sampler (DH-48) did not arrive until the
end of the field season. The field procedure employed was to collect the
sample approximately one-third of the way across the stream at a position
one-third of the way up from the bottom. Nevertheless, this collection
method undoubtedly introduced some additional sampling variability into the
suspended sediment collected.
134
-------
APPENDIX D
ACID MINE DRAINAGE EFFECTS ON STREAMS
Introduction
Mining activities at Cooke City have disturbed the natural conditions in
that: (1) rock materials that had little contact with ground and surface
waters have been disturbed and removed to land-surface or near-surface
positions (as spoils and tailings), and (2) the mines themselves act as con-
duits for the transmission of groundwater. These activities have not sign-
ificantly altered the chemical reactions that occur naturally in a mineral-
ized area but have greatly accelerated the rate of these reactions. The
accelerated reaction rate results from the vast increase of surface area
exposed to air and water, compared with the undisturbed state. Removal of
soils and overburden associated with the mining has increased the amount of
recharge at the expense of the late-spring and early-summer runoff. Con-
sequently a great increase in permeability and in exposed sulfide-mineral
surface area, combined with a greater volume of near-surface groundwater
in contact with these sulfide minerals, has resulted in the conditions at
the demonstration site.
Under both natural and mining-affected conditions, the composition
and relative proportions of the various minerals and the chemical composi-
tion of infiltrating waters control the weathering reactions. The ore
bodies mined at the Glengary and McLaren sites were replacement deposits,
principally within the Meagher Formation; the major minerals in the ore
zone are quartz* kaolinite, epldote, chlorite, pyrite, magnetite, and
hematite, accompanied by a minor amount of chalcopyrite and traces of galena,
sphalerite, and gold (Eyrich,1969). Pyrite is the,predominate su fide
mineral (Lovering,1929; Eyrich,1969) in the ores mined at these sites..The
hydrolysis of pyrite (FeS2) and the oxidation of sulfide and ferrous iron
ions con rofthe rate at which significant amounts of iron an sulfur are
intoduced into the waters. Acidity results from the oxidation of both iron
and sulfur as described below.
The chemical reactions of major importance at the study sites may be
classified as- (1) reactions that increase dissolved metal loads, (Z) re-
actions that increase acidity, (3) reactions that decrease dissolved metal
uuuiuilo Una LI iiii^icaac uv» i u i *j > \ i TU« unln nf r\v\tnan rnnren—
loads, and (4) reactions that decrease acidity. The role of oxygen concen
trations in groundwater and surface water is «» important controlling factor,
which indirectly influences both metal loads and acidity.
135
-------
The dissolution of pyrite, the most abundant sulfide mineral, may be
represented as
FeS, + H90 = Fe 2+ + HS" + OH" + S°
*(s) * (s) (5)
for the hydrolysis reaction, and as
HS" + sVx + H~0 + 7/2 0, = 2 SO/" + 3 H+ (6)
for the oxidation reaction. At Cooke City, these two reactions are es-
sentially coupled because sufficient oxygen is available in the shallow
groundwater system to drive reaction (6) far to the right. Consequently,
we see only the result of the combined reaction
FeS9 + 7/2 0, + H90 = Fe2+ + 2 SO.2" + 2 H+ (4)
2(s) 2(g) 2 4
from the chemical analyses of groundwater samples. The oxygen uptake by
reduced sulfur species and low pH values that result from reaction (4)
cause the problems of heavy metals loads and acidity within the groundwater
regime.
When oxygen content or pH increases, especially as the groundwater
reaches the land surface as springs or seeps, a second group of chemical
reactions may occur, which reduce the dissolved metal load but increase
the amount of acid released to the water. The reactions consist of the
oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron and the precipitation of the
ferric species as ferric hydroxide. These reactions may be expressed as
2 Fe2+ + h 0, + 2 H+ = 2 Fe3+ + H,0 (7)
29g) 2
and as
2 Fe3+ + 6H90 = 2 Fe (OH), + 6 H+ (8)
2 3(s)
or the two equations may be combined (because the oxidation step is rate
limiting) as
2 Fe2+ + h Oo + 5 H70 = 2 Fe (OH), + ^4 H+ (9)
2(g) 2 3(s)
The oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron proceeds -slowly in this environ-
ment |~the oxidation rate is proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen
times the hydroxyl ion activity squared (Stumm and Morgan, 1970; p. 534-540)1;
under these stream conditions, hydroxyl activity is very low and colloidal
ferric hydroxide should continue to form in the surface waters. The ferric
hydroxide first precipitated will generally be amorphous. At
136
-------
present, data are not available to state whether aging of the precipitates
from the toe of the mill site or in the streams results in the formation of
the more stable phases goethite (FeO(OH)) or hematite (Fe2OJ. Ferric
hydroxide precipitates are very fine grained, and usually contain an ap-
preciable amount of colloidal-size material (Langmuir and Whittemore,1971).
This fine-grained precipitate tends to coalesce and form a crust with time,
but during the spring runoff, the crust is broken up in many areas and
dispersed. The result is that large amounts of ferric iron of relatively
fine particle size are transported downstream, mainly as suspended load. The
colloidal fraction of this material should have a very adverse effect upon
fish inhabiting these reaches of the affected streams.
As the streams flow from the mining area, a third group of chemical
reactions occur, which slowly raise the pH of the water. These are chemical
weathering reactions, which consume hydrogen ions; typical reactions are the
weathering of sodic plagioclase to form kaolinite
2NaAlSiQ0Q + 9H70 + 2H+ = 2Na+ + 4H,SiO, + Al?Si'05(OH)4 (10)
j »{s) f- t t e. e. s f(s)
and the dissolution of limestone (a common acidity-abatement technique)
CaCO, + H+ = Ca2+ + HCO~~ (11)
3(s) 3
By reactions such as these, the hydrogen ion content of the water is
decreased, and the total dissolved solids increase downstream.
The most significant aspect of the above discussion is based upon the
fact (Eyrich,1969; Levering,1929) that pyrite is the dominant sulfide
associated with mineralization. In developing a mass-transfer model based
on the pyrite content of the disturbed areas, the limiting factors con-
sist of: (1) the volume of pyrite in the spoils and tailings; and (2)
the rate at which pyrite is oxidized. The acid contribution to the surface
waters caused by the pyrite weathering process may be expressed by com-
bining reactions (4) and (9) as
FeS9 + 15/4 0, + 7/2 H?0 = Fe(GH)3 + 2 SO/' + 4 H+ (12)
2(s) 2(g) 2 '(s)
Thus, for each millimole of pyrite destroyed, four millimoles of hydrogen
ion are released.
137
-------
Data Base
Calculations used to determine the percent iron reaching the stream are
based upon equation (4) and performed in the following manner,
% Fe = (3.44 / r (X - 11.3) mg/1 S04 ^) x 100 (13)
Y mg/1 Fe
2- 2+
where 3.44 is the ratio of SO, to Fe , expressed in mg/1, produced by
the hydrolysis of pyrite, and 11.3 mg/1 is the average sulfate content of
the three snow samples with complete analyses.
138
-------
TABLE E-l
APPENDIX E
WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS DATA—McLAREN MINE AREA AND DAISY CREEK
)ate Flow pH Specific
(Ips) (lab) Conduc-
tance
(/omhos)
Station 101, T. 9 S. , R
7/25/74 0.57 2.77
8/15/74 0.28 2.88
9/16/74 0.03 3.04
Station 102, T.
8/21/73
7/25/74 6.23
8/13/74 1.70
10/15/74 0.57
7/18/75 2.83
8/5/75 1.42
9/5/75 0.28
Station 103, T
8/22/73 0.28
10/15/74 0.57
7/18/75 5.66
8/5/75 2.27
9/5/75 1.13
Station 104, T
8/22/73 2.55
7/25/74 29.2
8/13/74 3.68
9/16/74 0.85
10/15/74 1.22
7/18/75 12.2
8/5/75 5.10
9/5/75 1.13
9 S.,
2.50
2.55
2.63
2.11
2.05
3.28
.95.,
2.30
2.63
2.07
2.02
3.02
. 9 S.
2.41
2.63
2.61
2.63
2.83
2.17
2.01
3.16
Station 105, T. 9 S.
7/25/74 0.28
8/13/74 0.56
9/16/74 0.08
2.89
3.02
3.86
Acidity
(as
CaCOs
mg/1)
Alka-
linity
(as
CaCOs
mg/1)
Sulfate
(mg/1)
Silica
(mg/1)
Iron Iron Aluminum Lead Cooper Zinc Cadmium
Total (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1 )
Calcium Magnesium"
(mg/1) (mg/1)
. 14 E., Sec. 11 CBA
1140.
954.
1020.
, R. 14 E.
2140.
2210.
2680.
2290.
1920.
2000.
R. 14 E.
3120.
3260.
2470.
2410.
2460.
, R. 14 E.
2890.
1840.
2310.
2680.
2530.
1840.
2140.
2370.
, R. 14 E
844.
889.
498.
242.
199.
231.
, Sec. 11
806.
886.
946.
1120.
800.
865.
, Sec. 11
1180.
1520.
1190.
1220.
1200.
, Sec. 11
1120.
569.
879.
921.
839.
674.
977.
. , Sec. 11
173.
208.
111.
0.
0.
0.
CBA
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
CBD
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
CCB
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
CBA
0.
0.
0.
306.
255.
258.
842.
999.
1130.
1120.
878.
967.
1390.
1850.
1260.
1280.
1360.
1460.
727.
1080.
1270.
1320.
778.
1090.
1370.
. 173.
248.
239.
49.8
52.2
47.1
45.8
64.2
76.4
40.4
51.3
62.3
88.4
96.1
3.43
56.5
71.7
96.7
38.4
70.1
67.7
64.6
34.2
56.1
72.7
31.0
45.8
42.8
— a 43.0
28.6
30.0
240.
300.
284.
318. 326.
238. 246.
268. 273.
318.
312.
285. 303.
286. 286.
280. 284.
191.
101.
194.
178.
no.
124. 118.
167. 154.
172. 174.
21.2
25.0
11.4
14.8 — -- — <._
14.0
14.0
0.02 58.6 4.98 0.05
31.1
37.0
42.0
41.6
36.0
37.2
52.3 0.05 42.'9 3.5 0.04
89.6
59.5
55.6
57.5
80.0 0.08 43.7 3.85 0.04
33.9
61.0
74.0
91.4
47.
67.
88.
10.2
20.0
15.7
—
__
—
—
_.
(continued)
-------
TABLE E-l (continued)
Date
Station
8/26/74
Station
8/22/73
7/25/74
8/13/74
9/16/74
10/15/74
Station
8/21/73
7/25/74
8/13/74
9/16/74
10/15/74
11/19/74
7/18/75
8/5/75
9/5/75
Flow
(Ips)
106, T
107, T
6.23
1.98
0.28
0.25
108, T
0.28
0.57
0.14
0.25
0.57
0.11
2.27
0.57
0.28
Station 109, T.
7/25/74 92.6
8/13/74 29.7
9/16/74
T). 15/74
11/19/74
1/23/74
2/19/74
6.51
4.53
2.21
2.27
2.27
oH
(lab)
. 9 S.
2.61
. 9 S.
2.73
2.93
2.90
3.05
3.07
. 9 S.
6.57
8.04
7.10
S.92
4.88
4.64
6.48
6.28
5.83
9 S.
3.32
3.02
3.09
3.16
3.32
3.26
3.25
Specific
Conduc-
tance
(^mhos)
, R. 14 E.,
2260.
, R. 14 E.,
1250.
819.
1050.
1060.
970.
, R. 14 E.,
716.
483.
687.
702.
718.
718.
451.
656.
733.
, R. 14 E.,
560.
963.
1240.
1320.
1270.
1210.
1260.
Acidity
'(as
CaCOa
tng/1)
Sec 11 C8C
478.
Alka-
linity
{as
CaC03
mg/l)
0.
Sulfate
(mg/l )
714.
Silica
(mo/1 )
36.4
Iron
Total
Recov-
erable
(mq/1)
--
Iron
(mq/1 )
116.
Aluminum Lead Copoer Zinc Cadmium Calcium Magnesium
(mq/1) (mq/1) (mq/1) (mq/1) (mq/1) (rag/1) (mq/1)
17.9
Sec. 10 ODD
286.
156.
223.
236.
224.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
390.
191.
322.
360.
362.
55.8
31.1
46.0
42.4
39.0
__
—
--
—
—
29.1
13.7
25.4
16.0
11.0
22.7 0.06 3.87 0.135 0.01
8.9
18.0
21.3
24.1
Sec. 11 CBA
__
—
—
—
—
--
Sec. 10 DOC
98.3
200.
280.
329.
300.
305.
275.
16.
42.
26.
5.
2.
0.
82.
88.
8.
0..
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
346.
177.
320.
346.
359.
366.
144.
249.
370.
181.
345.
521.
617.
634.
639.
573.
104.
10.9
14.9
14.6
15.9
15.7
9.6
11.1
14.6
14.5
25.8
30.8
32. <»
31.3
29.9
27.8
—
—
8.30
14.2
35.4
—
--
—
—
—
—
31.0
9.7
31.4
35.3
40.0
42.2
2.28
1.96
36.
7.0
25.5
32.2
28.0
32.2
34.6
33.
0.42 <0.02 <0.02 <0.05 <0.01
o.i - — - - - :: ::
0.1
0.17
0.16 II II
-I I-
0.15 - „ „ II
0.25
0.55 — .. „ _. .. I_
8.3
20.
28.
39.
41.
37.
33.8
(continued)
-------
TABLE E-l (continued)
Date Flow pH Specific
(Ips) (lab) Conduc-
tance
(^mhos)
Station 109, T. 9 S., R. 14 E. ,
5/15/75 5.95 3.64
6/7/75 56.9
6/18/75 47.6 2.49
7/1/75 173. 2.52
7/18/75166. 2.87
8/5/75 33.4 2.70
8/20/75 11.9 3.19
9/5/75 9.06 3.42
9/23/75 5.10 3.44
Station 110, T. 9 S.,
Depth
to
Water(m)
10/15/74 3.50 2.57
11/19/74 3.61 2.71
7/18/75 3.12 2.03
8/5/75 3.28 2.04
9/5/75 3.56 2.94
Station 127, T. 9 S.
Flow
(Ips)
8/5/75 226. 5.68
8/20/75 85.0 4.43
9/5/75 56.6 4. 41
9/15/75 42.0 3.84
Station 128, T. 9 S.
8/5/75 359. 6.13
8/20/75 283. 5.63
9/5/75 255. 6.23
9/15/75 227. 6.10
Station 129, T. 9 S
9/15/75 50.0 7.76
437.
—
1070.
918.
628.
782.
1030.
1230.
1210.
R. 14 E..
2720.
2770.
3080.
2840.
2660.
, R. 14 E.
249.
360.
431.
490.
, R. 14 E.
154.
182.
210.
49.
. , R. 14 E
146.
Acidity Alka-
(as linity
CaCO., (as
rag/If CaCO,
mg/TT
Sec. 10 DDC
83.6 0.
266. 0.
228. 0.
142. 0.
192. 0.
228. 0.
289. 0.
304. 0.
Sec. 11 CBA
896. 0.
883. 0.
2110. 0.
1940. 0.
1190. 0.
, Sec. 9 BAC
4.
62.8 0.
49.1 0.
59.1 0.
. , Sec. 4 CCA
46.
47.
48.
49.
., Sec. 9 EDO
87.
Sulfate
(mg/1)
203.
—
374.
317.
218.
304.
376.
510.
569.
1130.
1080.
2100.
2000.
1330.
no.
160.
206.
223.
28.
37.
51.
57.
5.
Silica
(mg/1)
10.2 '
—
16.
13.
13.5
19.5
24.0
31.2
32.2
131.
148.
6fi.3
76.8
79.2
10.1
12.5
13.9
14.4
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.5
3.5
Iron Iron Aluminum
Total (mq/1) (mq/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
5.4
99.
54. 31.6
44.3 23.6
23.2 9.3
29.4 10.8
37.8 23.3
43.4 30.9
37.6 27.9
209.
- 238.
610. 556.
520. 498.
39fi. 336.
5.00
7.5
7.86
9.28
1.44
1.67
1.44
1.86
0.16
9.32
_.
22.4
16.4
13.
18.
23.5
30.0
37.4
39.4
46.2
109.
92.5
54.0
0.15
3.76
5.89
6.8
0.11
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.05
Lead Conner
(mg/1) (mq/1)
0.06
„
< 0.005
< 0.05
0.070
0.007
__
0.009
0.011
__
—
< 6.005
0.003
0.006
0.005
0.006
0.0035
<0.002
< 0.002
0.002
2.17
__
7.9
6.5
4.8
7.5
__
11.6
12.7
_.
--
1.83
3.18
3.64
4.02
0.040
0.051
0.066
0.395
0.001
Zinc Cadmium Calcium Magnesium
(mq/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mq/1)
0.47
„
0.68
0.73
0.510
0.710
__
0.002
0.004
__
--
0.250
0.36
0.511
0.559
0.010
0.0283
0.040
0.0255
0.001
0.0037
__ __
__
__
0.020
0.009 41.
49.
0.0015 62.
0.0049 69.
__
__
--
0.001 31.
0.0028 40.
0.0032 50.
0.0038 56.
-------
TABLE E-2. WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS DATA—GLENGARY MINE AREA AND FISHER CREEK
ro
Date
Station
8/22/73
8/27/74
9/16/74
7/19/75
8/5/75
Station
8/27/74
9/16/74
6/22/75
7/19/75
8/5/75
9/6/75
Station
8/26/74
9/16/74
Station
7/26/74
8/27/74
9/16/74
9/6/75
Station
8/21/73
7/26/74
8/27/74
9/16/74
10/14/74
11/20/74
2/4/75
5/18/75
6/18/75
Flow DH
(Ips) (lab)
201, T. 9 S,
— 2.57
-- 2.79
- 2.67
0.57 2.18
0.28 2.56
202, T. 9 S.
-- 6.51
— 6.02
1.13 3.87
19.8 4.49
9.06 7.63
0.28 5.51
203, T. 9 S.
— 4.49
0.20 3.56
204, T. 9 S.
-- 3.91
— 4.26
0.57 3.99
0.85 4.76
205, T. 9 S.
2.74
2.84
2.92
3.40 2.98
2.28 3.28
2.21 3.25
2.28 3.31
1.13 2.91
1.93 2.37
Specific
Conduc-
tance
(u. mhos)
., R. 14 E.,
1850.
1790.
2300.
1780.
1850.
., R. 14 E.,
50.4
65.2
182.
79.9
78.7
54.0
,, R. 14 E.,
83.7
306.4
, R. 14 E.,
117.
90.7
154.
?46.
, R. 14 E.,
1140.
999.
1250.
1140.
1060.
1030.
879.
1080.
1340.
Acidity Alka-
(as Unity
CaC03 (as
mg/1) CaCO,
rag/if
Sec. 2
254.
247.
416.
542.
585.
Sec. 2
35.2
15.4
—
—
Sec. 11
12.8
51.7
Sec. 11
19.6
15.8
28.1
--
Sec. 11
174.
150.
181.
153.
149.
126.
130.
156.
271.
CCD
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
CCD
2.
2.
0.
0.
5.
2.
BAB
0.
0.
ABC
0.
0.
0.
0.
ABC
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
Sulfate
(mg/1)
602.
550.
768.
662.
726.
16.2
24.
66.
26.2
25.5
19.2
31.
80.
24.0
30.
46.
44.6
332.
231.
345.
326.
341.
288.
305.
330.
355.
Silica
(mg/1)
32
.4
30.0
33
16
23
3
5
10
3
4
4
.9
.7
.0
.6
.1
.1-
.6
.2
.2
5.4
13.3
6.6
7.7
14.0
11.9
34.
23.
31.
29.
30.
27.
30.
29.
25.
8
3
4
6
1
6
0
7
0
Iron Iron Aluminum Lead Cooper Zinc Cadmium
Total (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1 )
65
90
84
132. 128
130. 120
.5
.0
.0
.5
0.07
0
.48
0.64
0.79 1.14
0.49 1.12
0.43 €.09
0.
1.
.19
.06
0.80
1.15
0.
1.36 1.
51.
39.
49.
45.
32.
33.
29.
35.
75. 75.
71
33
4
8
3
4
9
8
2
2.32 0.03 5.74 0.297 <0.01
2.50
5.12
10.8
9.7
0.11
0.45
2.9
1.15
0.90
0.58
1.33
3.00
1.3
1.39
2.42
2.34
4.21 0.05 1.38 n.245 <0.01
5.0
6.7
5.13
5.2
6.0
4.3
4.6 0.07 0.65 0.33
-------
TABLE E-2 (continued)
co
Date Flow pH Specific Acidity
(Ips) (lab) Conduc- (as
tance CaC03
(.amhos) mg/1)
Station 205, T. 9 S.,
7/1/75
7/19/75
8/5/75
8/20/75
9/6/75
9/23/74
7.08 2.42
14.7 2.89
6.80 2.46
2.55 3.23
2.55 3.32
1.98 3.39
Station 206, T. 9 S.,
8/23/74
7/26/74
8/27/74
9/16/74
10/14/74
9/6/75
— 2.88
— 4.35
— 4.30
0.20 4.45
0.57 4.62
0.57 4.43
Station 207, T. 9 S.,
7/29/74
8/27/74
9/16/74
10/14/74
11/20/74
12/18/74
1/22/75
2/4/75
2/18/75
3/20/75
4/14/75
5/14/75
5/18/75
6/7/75
6/18/75
7/1/75
7/19/75
8/5/75
8/20/75
96.2 3.62
— 3.56
12.1 3.31
8.50 3.72
4.42 3.83
4.53 3.77
3.12 3.83
3.12 3.99
3.12 3.70
3.12 3.67
3.12 3.58
12.2 3.66
3.38
24.6 —
71.7 3.60
283. 3.59
164. 3.73
16.4 3.38
15.9 3.89
R. 14 E.,
1100.
491.
1040.
1120.
1180.
1020.
R. 14 E.,
- 871.
74.1
55.3
62.0
63.0
66.3
R. 14 E.,
244.
374.
366.
386.
400.
350.
391.
383.
390.
341.
224.
285.
387.
—
147.
139.
116.
225.
289.
Sec. 11
209.
53.6
202.
188.
158.
147.
Sec. 11
128.
16.0
13.4
12.6
15.6
27.7
Sec. 11
32.6
46.2
47.4
50.0
44.8
39.8
47.2
50.9
43.8
46.2
42.5
37.
57.6
—
10.2
27.5
21.9
34.
20.1
Alka-
1 inity
(as
CaCO,
mg/lf
Sulfate
(mg/1)
Silica
(mg/1)
Iron Iron Aluminum
Total (mg/1) (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Lead
(mg/1)
Cooper
(mg/1)
Zinc Cadmium Calcium Magnesium
(mg/1) (mg/1). (mg/1) (mg/1)
ABC (Continued)
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
ABC
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
ACA
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
—
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
258.
106.
351.
338.
331.
318.
240.
18.6
24.0
22.0
28.0
25.4
51.0
' 98.0
114.
124.
118.
124.
132.
134.
122.
121.
113.
92.
111.
—
44.
35.
32.4
57.1
77.5
13.2
9.5
24.2
30.2
31.5
31.2
29.6
14.1
16.2
16.6
17.2
16.4
14.4
19.9
23.2
24.2
25.7
26.5
27.4
27.
27.
27.8
25.7
20.7
18.0
—
11.3
9.6
8.4
13.5
17.8
56.5 52.5
25.4 14.4
47. 38.5
51.6 47.5
46.6 42.6
42.2 40.8
25.8
0.10
0.04
0.07
0.19
0.29 0.41
2.98
6.4
4.0
4.41
5.22
4.97
4.45
3.85
3.75
1 . 68
1.55
2.63
5.9
4.05
1.9 1.5
3.6 2.33
3.33 1.40
3.49 1.74
4.50 3.75
3.0
1.35
6.34
6.5
6.0
5.5
3.72
1.6
1.14
1.22
1.4
1.30
1.8
2.56
2.59
2.86
3.56
2.8
3.3
3.2
3.2
3.2
2.9
2.48
3.65
—
1.5
1.34
1.0
1.94
2.37
<0.05
0.014
0.014
—
0.017
0.025
--
_.
--
-_
--
—
--
—
—
—
'
—
-_
—
—
0.04
0.07
—
O.005
<0.05
0.060
0.006
--
2.88
1.03
2.88
—
1.36
0.94
—
__
—
—
--
—
—
—
—
—
--
—
—
—
—
0.71
0.83
—
0.47
0.53
0.440
0.700
--
0.21
0.170 0.020
0.330 0.013
<0.002 0.001
0.0025 0.001
—
__
—
__
--
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0.15 <0.002
0.18 < 0.002
—
0.05
0.58
0.050 0.010
0.075 < 1.002 8.7 2.4
11.6 3.3
(continued)
-------
TABLEE-2 (continued)
Date Flow pH Specific
(Ips) (lab) Conduc-
tance
(.amhos)
Station 207, T.
9/6/75 9.35
9/23/75 25.2
Station 208, T.
9/16/73
12/5/73
7/26/74
8/27/74
9/16/74
10/14/74
71/20/74
12/18/74
1/22/75
2/4/75
2/18/75
3/20/75
4/14/75
5/14/75
6/18/75
7/1/75
7/19/75
8/5/75 227.
9/6/75 28.3
Station 209, T.
9/16/73
8/6/75 34.0
8/21/75 25.4
9/5/75 56.6
9/16/75 84.9
9 S.,
3.62
3.85
9 S.,
3.82
3.82
4.31
4.06
3.77
4.30
4.22
4.32
4.19
4.35
4.06
3.97
3.94
4.19
4.47
4.56
4.48
3.97
4.40
9 S.,
6.49
6.02
5.72
5.91
5.56
R. 14 E.
340.
350.
R. 14 E
196.
209.
89.4
172.
215.
235.
253.
233.
233.
230.
288.
215.
208.
139.
73.6
105.
65.9
109.
173.
R. 14 E.
108.
98.6
101.
106.
105.
.Acidity
(as
CaC03
mg/1)
. , Sec. 11
51.4
46.7
. , Sec. 12
81.
22.
9.7
24.5
25.3
25.4
31.9
25.6
26.
27.4
25.3
24.
22.7
17.6
11.6
7.9
9.9
17.4
15.2
, Sec. 18
Alka-
linity
(as
CaCO,
mg/lj
Sulfate
(mg/1 )
Silica
(rag/1)
I ron I ron
Total (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Aluminum Lead
(mg/1 ) (mq/1 )
Cooper Zinc Cadmium
(mq/1) (mg/1) (mg/1 )
Calcium Maqnesium
(mq/1) (mg/1)
ACA (Continued)
0.
0.
CBC
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
CAA
10.
12.
14.
7.
6.
102.
107.
58.
80.0
25.
49.
68.
82.
80.
86.
78.
79.
80.
76.
72.
49.0
24,
19.4
19.6
37.4
55.2
38.
28.
31.
37.
38.
22.5
23.4
19.5
20.1
8.9
14.5
18.3
18.8
19.3
19.6
20.8
21.1
20.8
21.2
19.8
13.4
7.5
5.6
6.2
9.4
15.6
9.9
7.1
9.1
9.4
9.0
4.10
3.80
1.24
__
_„
0.70
2.87
1.09
1.11
0.73
0.23
0.11
0.14
0.64
3.98
4.28
1.74
2.93
0.86
1.70
1.17
1.39
1.24
1.08
0.82
0.73
0.78
0.51
0.35
0.28
0.49
0.27
0.61
0.69
0.72
0.20
0.02
0.03
0.03
0.03
2,69 0.0098
2.64 0.0073
1.19 <0.02
1.62
0.80
1.34
1.60
1.94
, 2.3
2.0
2.3
2.1
2.1
2.
1.7
1.08 0.06
0.6
0.25
0.45
0.97
1.59
<0.5 0.02
0.11 0.008
0.06 < 0.002
<0.05 0.006
0.10 0.0029
0.817 0.132 0.0012
0.796 0.141 0.001
0.48 0.08
-------
TABLEE-2 (continued)
en
Date
Flow pH
(Ips) (lab)
Depth
to
Water (m)
Station 210, T. 9 S. ,
9/16/74
10/14/74
6/22/75
7/1/75
8/5/75
9/6/75
Station
6/22/75
7/1/75
7/19/75
8/5/75
Station
8/6/75
8/21/75
9/5/75
9/16/75
Station
9/16/75
1.36 4.16
1.76 4.56
1.22 4.01
1.22 3.99
1.45 3.65
1.41 4.02
Depth
to
Water (m)
211, T. 9 S.
0.55 2.33
0.30 2!24
0.46 2.13
1.03 2.41
213, T. 9 S.
343. 7.00
259. 5.54
226. 6.34
339. 5.82
214, R. 9 S.
71. 6.93
Specific Acidity Alka-
Conduc- (as linity
tance CaCO, (as
(-amhos) rag/if CaCO-,
mg/lf
, R. 14
192.
127.
137.
151.
175.
122.
, R. 14
1730.
2310.
2060.
2050.
, R. 14
64.8
75.4
80.7
83.5
, R. 15
85.5
Sulfate
(mg/1)
Silica
(mg/1)
I ron I ron
Total (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Aluminum Lead Copoer Zinc Cadmium Calcium
(mg/1) (mq/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mq/1) (mg/1)
Magnesium
(ma/1)
E., Sec. 11 BBA
29.7
23.7
22.6
31.3
52.2
11.0
E., Sec.
767.
1330.
821.
852.
E., Sec.
E., Sec.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
2 CCD
0.
0.
0.
0.
20 ACC
19.
16.
16.
15.
17 CDB
12.0
76.
48.
44.
46.
47.7
44.5
927.
1550.
914.
968.
10.9
14.8
19.4
27.
23.6
10.3
11.7
8.9
9.0
11.1
9.4
80.7
80.7
61.0
«52.
5.2
5.6
6.1
6.3
6.6
6.4
75.2
27.9
100.
97.
139.
0.10
0.06
0.10
0.09
0.13
6.
12.
1.
1.
0.
7.
23.
91.
114.
130.
10
8
0
13
97
6
7
o.nn
0.01
0.03
0.01
0.04
1.59
1.27
1.82
1.67
2.15
3.7
62.4
120.
64.4
49.
0.09
-------
TABLE E-3. WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS DATA—HcLAREN MILL AREA AND SODA BUTTE CREEK
•Date flow
(Ips)
Station 317, T.
8/20/73 72.8
6/10/74 628.
7/8/74 606.
7/24/74 245.
8/12/74 133.
9/17/74 60.8
10/14/74 53.0
11/18/74 30.0
12/16/74 17.0
1/13/75 12.5
2/5/75 9.63
2/18/75 9.35
3/19/75 13.0
4/14/75 7.93
5/19/75 94.3
6/5/75 852.
6/17/75 920.
7/2/75 1620.
7/20/75
7/30/75 991.
8/4/75 250.
8/19/75 146.
9/4/75 79.0
9/23/75 71.1
Station 319, T.
6/10/74 173.
7/8/74 396
8/12/74 36.0
Station 320, T.
8/20/73
9/22/73
12/5/73
5/2/74
6/10/74
pH
(lab)
9 S.,
8.18
7.91
7.89
7.97
8.43
8.13
7.88
8.47
8.23
7.98
7.74
7.95
8.09
8.21
7.94
6.93
6.78
7.76
6.58
7.52
7.67
8.20
7.54
9 S.,
7.67
7.65
6.84
9S.,
3.71
2.20
4.68
7.60
4.48
Specific
Conduc-
tance
( M mhos)
R. 14 E.
238.
170.
188.
228.
234.
234.
203.
250.
259.
239.
248.
246.
246.
247.
239.
151.
122.
206.
249.
230.
228.
232.
231.
R. 14 E.
129.
92.6
140.
R. 14 E.
1400.
Acidity Alka-
(as linity
,CaC03 (as
mg/1) CaOh
mg/1)
, Sec. 25
a
__
—
__
__
—
—
—
—
—
—
--
::
--
__
__
, Sec. 25
..
—
—
, Sec. 25
174.
4590. 3600.
1480
348.
1370.
14.2
167.
ADB
118.
77.
84.
112.
127.
m.
94.
129.
118.
114.
118.
117.
116.
118.
112.
__
64.
30.
99.
82.
114.
114.
117.
118.
ACD
43.
35.
51.
ACD
0.
0.
0.
109.
0.
Sul fate
(mg/1)
8.3
12.0
8.8
7.6
7.4
9.4
9.6
9.2
10.4
8.6
8.9
10.2
10.2
10.4
14.5
__
10.3
62.
9.9
38.9
9.5
10.5
8.2
7.2
19.4
9.8
14.8
775.
402.
741.
59.0
854.
Silica
(mg/1)
9.2
8.1
9.0
9.8
11.4
9.7
9.0
7.6
8.0
9.8
9.5
9.6
7.9
8.2
7.0
--
7.1
6.4
7.9
7.3
7.7
7.7
8.1
7.9
8.2
6.3
7.7
13.2
36.8
10.7
7.6
12.2
Iron
Total
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
—
--
--
—
—
--
—
—
—
—
—
—
__
0.13
0.18
2.8
0.05
16.9
0.19
0.40
0.06
0.09
__
--
iron
(mg/1)
__
—
—
—
0.01
0.02
0.02
3.26
0.03
1.50
0.03
<0.01
0.03
<0.01
0.05
0.25
0.18
0.15
0.08
0.07
0.03
0.28
0.12
__
—
<0.01
172.
— 1300.
124.
—
—
179.
—
198.
Aluminum
(mg/1 )
<0.5
—
--
< 0. 1
< 0.1
< 0.1
< 0.1
< 0.1
< 0. 1
0.1
< 0. 1
< 0. 1
< 0.1
0.10
—
0.08
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
0.07
0.05
0.05
0.06
__
—
<0.01
<0.5
116.
0.26
—
—
Lead Copper
(mg/1) (mg/1)
<0.02 <0.02
<0.01 <0.01
<0.02 <0.01
--
<0.01 <0.01
0.03 <0.01
<0.02 <0.01
--
__
--
--
—
—
0.05 0.01
0.10
<0.05 0.08
< 0.002 0.040
0.060 0.050
0.060 0.006
0.005 0.0048
< 0.003 0.011
<0.02 0.01
—
— --
<0.02 0.06
0.18 44.8
' - .04
<0.02 0.02
<0.02 <0.01
Zinc
(mg/1)
<0.02
0.02
0.01
--
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
--
—
--
--
--
-~
0.01
—
0.01
0.01
0.010
0.020
0.003
0.0136
0.012
0.02
—
— —
0.21
1.70
--
0.08
0.26
Cadmium
(mg/1)
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
--
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
—
—
-"
—
~-
~~
0.0020
0.010
0.020
< 0.002
< 0.001
< 0.001
<0.01
--
— —
< .01
0.02
—
<0.01
0.01
Calcium
(mg/1)
—
—
--
~-
—
—
--
—
— —
—
--
~ —
40.00
25.00
19.80
34.80
--
--
39.40
40.00
38.80
--
--
"
—
—
—
—
—
Magnesium
(mg/1)
--
--
--
—
--
--
—
""
""
— —
~"
— ~
"
6.80
4.50
4.00
5.70
--
7. 00
7.40
6.80
--
••
--
--
--
--
--
(continued)
-------
TABLEE-3 (continued)
Date Flow pH Specific
(lps)(lab) Conduc-
tance
Station 320, T. 9 S., R. 14 E. ,
6/20/74 7.65 3.27 1520.
7/8/74 34.0 3.90 1490.
8/12/74 5.95 4.20 1740.
9/17/74 — 3.69 1450.
7/2/75 11.0 5.78 994.
7/20/75 — 6.07 1120.
8/4/75 6.51 4.86 1150.
9/4/75 4.48 1180.
Station 321, T. 9 S., R. 14 E. ,
7/8/74 7.08 5.64 1210.
8/12/74 3.68 6.23 1080.
9/17/74 2.27 3.80 1340.
10/14/74 1.78 3.87 1360.
11/18/74 1.44 3.85 1370.
12/16/74 1.78 4.12 1310.
1/13/75 1.78 4.41 1260.
2/6/75 1.784.02 1180.
3/19/75 1.61 3.71 1160.
4/14/75 1.44 3.76 1080.
5/19/75 3.79 4.93 915.
6/5/75 6.70 —
6/17/75 8.21 4.08 1540.
7/2/75 7.08 4.52 1270.
7/20/75 11.6 4.99 1080.
8/4/75 3.12 5.50 1080.
9/4/75 9.35 4.14 993.
Station 322, T. 9 S. , R. 14 E.
8/20/73 60.9 7.48 340.
6/10/74 917. 7.81 192.
7/8/74 1090. 7.67 157.
7/24/74 439. 8.44 230.
8/12/74170. 7.61 293.
9/17/74 33. 8.17 362.
Acidity
(as
mg/lj3
Alka-
linity
(as
CaC03
mg/1)
Sulfate
(mg/1)
Silica
(mg/1)
Iron
Total
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Iron
(mq/1)
Aluminum
(mg/1)
Lead
(mg/1)
Copper
(mg/1)
Zinc
(mg/1 )
Cadmium
(rag/1)
Calcium Magnesium
(mg/1) (mg/1)
Sec. 25 ACD ( ontinued)
83.6
64.5
168.
39.2
56.6
57.6
Sec. 25
—
116.
148.
157.
195.
176.
154.
141.
98.3
116.
--
309.
211.
144.
__
118.
, Sec. 25
—
0.
0.
0.
0.
11.
4.
0.0
ACD
27.
4.
0.
0.
0. '
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
-
0.
0.
0.
16.
0.
ACD
109.
69.
54.
98.
104.
87.
788.
856.
1070.
837.
497.
608.
671.
716.
705.
593.
762.
802.
788.
772.
730.
694.
656.
584.
490.
—
929.
737.
590.
556.
542.
66.0
30.0
22.0
28.
43.
92.
16.5
14.9
17.6
29.6
10.7
11.3
10.7
11.8
9.0
8.1
9.8
9.8
9.6
9.3
9.8
9.8
8.6
7.7
8.6
__
10.5
9.6
8.8
8.3
8.8
9.2
__
7.1
8.2
11.3
7.7
__
..
48.5
57.2
62.
70.6
_.
-.
335.
282.
186.
143.
141.
122.
—
46.4
41.6
86.2
48.
13.
21.1
21.6
35.8
119.
100.
152.
148.
149.
176.
128.
167.
126.
128.
136.
__
460.
149.
122.
106.
127.
7.4
<0.01
1.14
1.8
0.5
< 0.1
0.15
0.10
0.10
0.89
<0 1
< 0 1
< 0 1
< o'l
< o'l
-------
TABLE E-3 (continued)
Date
Flow pH Specific
(Ips) (lab) Conduc-
tance
( Aunhos }
Acidity
(as
CaC03
mg/1)
Alka-
linity
(as
CaC03
Sulfate
(mg/1)
Silica
(mg/1 )
Iron Iron
Total (mg/1 )
Recov-
erable
(raq/1)
Aluminum
(rag/1)
Lead
(mg/1)
Copper
(mg/1 )
Zinc
(imi/1 )
Cadmium
(mg/1 )
Calcium Magnesium
(mg/1) (mg/1)
Station 322, T. 9 S., R. 14 E., Sec. 25 ACD (Continued)
10/14/74 15.9 7.77 392.
11/18/74 10.8 8.26 481.
12/16/74 7.08 6.82 696.
1/13/75 5.38 6.42 640.
2/5/75 5.38 6.21 800.
2/18/75 3.96 6.32 826.
3/19/75 3.96 6.50 798.
4/14/75 7.08 6.26 779.
5/19/75 74.5 7.24 279.
6/5/75 855.
6/17/75 1120. 6.57 148.
7/2/75 2700. 6.74 104.
7/20/75 — 7.18 154.
7/30/75 990. 6.81 255.
8/4/75 272. 6.77 277.
8/19/75 110. 7.14 308.
9/4/75 94.6 6.97 350.
9/23/75 48.7 7.29 367.
Station 325, T. 9 S., R. 14 E.,
5/19/75 1250. 7.47 143.
6/17/75 8300. 7.91 121.
7/2/75 - 6.73 91.3
7/15/75 — 6.41 79.4
8/4/75 — 6.46 129.
8/19/75 -- 5.96 169.
9/4/75 - 6.79 197.
9/23/75 991. 6.79 206.
Station 326, T. 58 N., R. 109 W.
5/19/75 2550. 7.72 174.
6/17/75 9540. 7.92 136.
7/2/75 — 6.67 95.2
7/15/75 — 6.55 94.5
8/4/75 — 6.52 150.
99.
86.
62.
66.
50.
42.
51.
64.
60.
—
59.
46.
62.
68.
96.
104.
105.
105.
Sec. 33 ACD
59.
50.
37.
33.
54.
74.
80.
90.
, Sec. 21 BCC
74.
59.
40.
41.
68.
115.
167.
306.
265.
378.
401.
372.
323.
71.
—
15.5
11.9
17.7
50.5
40.7
57.7
72.6
81.7
12.9
11.4
6.4
6.1
8.0
12.7
22.
11.1
(Wyoming)
11.6
9.5
5.9
5.9
10.6
99.
86.
62.
66.
50.
42.
51.
64.
60.
—
59.
46.
62.
68.
96.
104.
105.
105.
115.
167.
306.
265.
378.
401.
372.
323.
71.
—
15.5
11.9
17.7
50.5
40.7
57.7
72.6
81.7
6.1
5.5
5.6
6.9
7.8
7.
7.3
6.8
6.0
--
7.0
5.6
6.3
6.5
7.3
7.5
7.9
7.5
—
—
—
5.65
0.47
16.2
1.25
18.2
5.2
8.7
9.1
11.5
0.71
2.10
35.8
6.0
49.4
46.2
9.0
34.5
0.17
--
0.22
11.5
0.10
0.07
0.06
1.46
0.36
0.84
< 0.
< 0.
<0.
< 0.
< 0.
< 0.
<0.
-------
TABLE 1-3 (continued)
<£>
Date Flow pH
(lps)(1ab)
Station 326, T.
8/19/75 —
9/4/75
9/14/75 1330.
Station 327, T.
5/19/75 2550.
6/17/75 9770.
7/2/75
7/15/75 --
8/4/75
8/19/75 --
9/4/75
9/14/75 1980.
58 N.
5.98
6.92
6.65
57 N.
7.87
7.95
7.39
7.62
6.49
6.28
8.05
7.32
Specific Acidity Alka-
Conduc- (as linity
tance CaCOj (as
( jumhos) mg/1) CaCOo
mg/ir
, R. 109 W., Sec.
193.
226.
240.
, R. 109 W. , Sec.
204.
145.
104.
109.
160.
202.
222.
246.
Sulfate
(mg/1)
Silica
(mg/1)
I ron I ron
Total (mg/1 )
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Aluminum Lead
(mg/1) (mg/1)
Copper Zinc
(mg/1) (mg/1)
Cadmium
(mg/1 )
Calcium Magnesium
(mg/1) (mg/1)
21 BCC (Wyoming) (Continued)
89.
100.
103.
6 DBC
89.
64.
45.
47.
76.
99.
107.
111.
12.4
16.3
23.
12.7
10.0
6.8
6.0
10.9
11.3
13.5
16.9
10.3
10.7
10.3
10.8
10.0
9.2
9.6
10.9
11.6
11.8
11.8
0.40
0.23
0.19
0.53
1.64
19.8
3.68
0.52
0.38
0.23
0.15
0.06
0.05
0.06
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.08
0.05
0.07
0.05
0.05
< 0.002
0.002
0.005
< 0.005
< 0.005
< 0.005
< 0.005
< 0.005
0.0071
< 0.002
0.0070
< 0.001 < 0.001
0.0024 0.0039
0.0064 < 0.001
0.0010 <0.00i
0.0030 < 0.005
0.0030 < 0.002
0.0010 < 0.003
0.002 < 0.001
< 0.001 < 0.001
0.0025 0.004
0.0045 0.0187
< 0.001
< 0.001
<0.001
<0.0010
< 0.0020
<0.0010
<0.0010
< 0.001
< 0.001
<0.001
< 0.001
26.00
30.00
32.00
26.00
19.20
12.80
13.60
23.00
28.00
31.00
33.00
6.40
8.00
8.80
7.80
5.00
3.10
3.60
4.60
7.20
9.20
9.40
Dashes indicate sample not tested.
-------
TABLE E-4. WATER OUALITY ANALYSIS DATA-McLAREN MILL TAILINGS
Date
Station
5/2/74
6/10/74
7/10/74
7/2/75
Depth pH
to (lab)
Water
(•)
301, T.
2
0
1
0
,65
.16
.17
.73
7
7
7
6
9 S.
.48
.37
.26
.99
Specific
Conduc-
tance
( Airnhos )
, R. 14 E.
350.
130.
1060.
820.
Acidity Alka-
(as Unity
CaCQ-, (as
mg/ir CaCO,
mg/ir
, Sec. 25 ADB
-a 51.
44.
280.
183.
Sulfate
(mg/1)
108.
20.0
377.
278.
Silica Iron Iron Aluminum Lead Coooer Zinc Cadmium Calcium Magnesium
(mg/1) Total (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mq/1 )
2.
4.
11.
8.
6
.2 — -- — <0.02 <0.01 0.01 <0.01
1
3 2.07 0.10 <0.05
Station 302. T. 9 S., R. 14 E., Sec. 25 ADC
6/10/74
7/10/74
8/12/74
9/17/74
10/14/74
11 /1 8/74
-* 6/5/75
£< 6/17/75
0 7/2/75
7/20/75
8/4/75
9/4/75
0.04
2.12
2.18
2.30
2.30
2.35
1.16
1.58
2.04
2.17
2.09
2.38
Station 303, T.
5/14/74
6/10/74
7/10/74
8/12/74
6/17/75
7/2/75
7/20/75
8/4/75
9/4/75
2.81
0.54
1.20
3.24
0.30
0.76
0.66
1.33
3.01
Station 304, T.
5/15/74
6/10/74
7/10/74
4.57
2.20
2.29
7.77
7.64
8.42
7.91
8.03
7.71
7.31
7.02
6.65
6.97
7.24
9 S.,
6.24
6.11
5.68
5.39
6.74
6.07
4.48
3.46
5.47
9 S.,
3.52
2.91
2.81
111.
435.
361.
307.
319.
404.
__
227.
366.
384.
387.
414.
R. 14 E.,
2240.
870.
1730.
3180.
123.
763.
1570.
2120.
3360
R. 14 E.,
2460.
2310.
1730.
—
__
_.
__
—
Sec. 25 ADC
„
—
—
__
—
—
123.
188.
—
Sec. 25 ACD
207.
823.
444.
56.
224.
184.
117.
124.
190.
__
112.
208.
200.
204.
212.
87.
31.
24.
19.
55.
42.-
0.
0.
28.
0.
0.
0.
1.6
6.8
15.8
32.
46.
23.
—
9.5
8.6
9.1
6.9
15.2
1580.
481.
1080.
2420.
6.1
183.
989.
1320.
2400.
1780.
1410.
757.
56.
224.
184.
117.
124.
190.
112.
208.
200.
204.
212.
1.6
6.8
15.8
32.
46.
23.
9.5
8.6
9.1
6.9
15.2
4.3
11.1
15.3
2.6
5.3
11.4
__
4.6
7.3
10.5
10.9
10.3
4.
2.
7.
19,
1.
14.
—
—
__
—
.50
,7
,5
.2
25
6
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
.23
.40
.27
—
—
.58
.78
.29
.42
.49
<0.1
0.1
0.62
0.14
0.1
--
0.43
0.25
0.20
0.05
0.37
<0.02
<0.02
—
-------
TABLE E-4 (continued)
tn
Date Depth oH Specific
to (lab) Conduc-
Mater tance
(ro) (-amhos)
Station 304, T.
8/12/74
6/17/75
7/2/75
7/20/75
8/4/75
9/4/75
4.48
1.80
1.86
1.66
2.34
3.81
Station 305. T.
6/10/74
7/10/74
8/12/74
9/17/74
10/14/74
11/18/74
12/16/74
1/13/75
2/5/75
2/18/75
3/19/75
4/14/75
5/19/75
6/5/75
6/17/75
7/2/75
7/20/75
8/4/75
9/4/75
Station
6/10/74
7/10/74
8/12/74
9/17/74
10/14/74
11/18/74
1.32
1.68
2.06
2.71
3.06
3.33
3.65
3.91
3.89
4.15
4.68
5.29
1.52
1.13
1.31
1.77
1.61
1,64
2.25
306, T.
0.56
0.46
1.00
2.98
3.84
4.13
9 S.,
2.92
2.20
2.71
2.22
2.35
3.31
9 S.,
6.70
6.45
6.62
7.68
6.60
6.62
6.50
6.36
6.13
5.79
5.85
5.98
7.03
6.68
6.87
7.02
6.88
6.95
9 S.,
7.01
7.15
7.76
7.53
6.87
7.69
R. 14 E.
6000.
2570.
1770.
1770.
1450.
6210.
R. 14 E.
1900.
2870.
3210.
2880.
3140.
4050.
4010.
3010.
3200.
3080.
3000.
3100.
2150.
2510.
2440.
2500.
2630.
2760.
R. 14 E
579.
750.
843.
984.
1840.
1100.
Acidity Alka-
(as linitv
CaC03 (as
mg/1) CaC03
mg/1)
Sulfate
(mq/1)
Silica
(mg/1)
Iron Iron
Total (mq/1)
Recov-
erable
(mq/1)
Aluminum Lead Conner Zinc Cadmium Calcium Maqnpsium
(mq/1) (m
-------
TABLE E-4 (continued)
Date Depth
to
Water
Station 306, T.
12/16/74 4.22
1/13/75 4.48
2/18/75 5.27
6/17/75 0.43
7/2/75 0.55
Station 307, T.
5/2/74 5.15
6/10/74 2.11
7/10/74 2.00
8/12/74 3.78
__. 6/17/75 1.83
tn 7/2/75 1.74
ro
Station 308, T.
6/10/74 2.59
7/10/74 1.96
8/12/74 3.26
5/19/75 2.65
6/17/75 2.62
7/2/75 2.38
7/20/75 1.71
8/4/75 1.90
9/4/75 2.93
Station 310, T.
12/5/73 4.97
6/10/74 2.21
7/8/74 2.60
8/12/74 3.57
9/17/74 3.67
10/14/74 3.73
11/18/74 3.76
6/5/75 2.62
pH Specific
(lab) Conduc-
tance
(.amhos)
9 S., R. 14 E.,
6.88 1470.
6.56 1570.
7.03 1300.
6.76 103.
6.69 90.9
9 S., R. 14 E.,
6.46 4990.
3.01 3710.
3.04 4020.
6.28 3550.
2.35 3260.
2.80 3650.
9 S., R. 14 E. ,
3.29 4780.
5.95 7090.
4.06 16200.
6.65 2170.
2.67 3840.
4.54 6540.
4.42 7970.
4.62 4370.
4.49 3760.
9 S., R. 14 E.,
3.41 22600.
3.66 7750.
5.64 8140.
4.34 10600.
2.94 12200.
3.94 11400.
4.43 13600.
—
Acidity
(as
CaCO-,
mg/1)
Sec. 25 ACD
__
—
Sec. 25 ACD
916.
1180.
—
483.
1250.
Sec. 25 ACD
273.
—
13200.
—
2640.
1850.
2180.
2210.
280.
Sec. 25 ADC
22600.
3990.
—
7460.
7520.
9500.
10700.
—
Alka-
linity
(as
CaCO,
mg/1)
Sulfate
(mg/1 )
Silica
(mg/1)
Iron Iron
Total (mg/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Aluminum
(mg/1)
Lead
Cooper
(mg/1)
Zinc
(mg/1)
Cadmium Calcium Maqnesium
(mg/1) (mg/1) (mg/1)
(continued)
396.
365.
476.
36.
37.
227.
0.
0.
301.
0.
0.
0.
568.
0.
69.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
216.
0.
0.
0.
n.
—
529.
612.
292.
8.8
5.8
3590.
2790.
2890.
2300.
2050.
2550.
4610.
6410.
19600.
1210.
2600.
6570.
7510.
3180.
3200.
33400.
7490.
9240.
11400.
12400.
14200.
16500.
—
17.1
16.4
19.6
2.2
2.4
12.6
38.9
44.5
21.9
24.0
43.
12.8
24.4
27.0
8.7
12.2
16.5
15.6
18.0
15.4
28.9
33.3
35.3
1-0.9
45.7
37.2
19.6
—
70.5
68.5
58.
0.21
5. 0.27
._
-- 429.
536.
56.
238.
590. 568.
418.
538.
7900.
2.34
166.
1070. 1030.
1350. 1270.
410. 365.
245. 355.
-- 13100.
2450.
2430.
4390.
4780.
5160.
6320.
1900.
<0.1
< 0. 1
1.2
0.11
0.06
..
7.7
17.3
0.1
8.
28.4
0.5
0.01
2.0
0.32
0.10
0.24
0.14
0.17
2.40 <
207.
0.9
—
2.5
3.19
5.15
5.55
__
--
0.10
__
0.16
0.40
0.11
__
0.260
_.*
0.005
0.16
0.19
0.27
0.30
0.34
0.35
__
--
15193 2
0.68 0
0.20 n"
0.99 0
-_
0.110 ]
0.0476<0
8.7
0.73 0.
0.30 0.
0.14 1.
0.44 1.
0.89 1.
0.93 2.
..
--
.69"
__
__
__
.38
,_
.4
.34
_
_
.11
_
.002
87
79
25
50
60
50
-.
1.05" II II
--
0.01
0.05
< 0.002
O.~040 II II
-------
TABLE E-4 (continued)
Date
Depth pH
to (lab)
Water
(m)
Station 310, T.
6/17/75
7/2/75
7/20/75
8/4/75
9/4/75
Station
5/14/74
6/10/74
7/10/74
8/12/74
9/17/74
6/17/75
7/2/75
Station
S 6/17/75
7/2/75
7/20/75
Station
6/17/75
7/2/75
Station
8/12/74
7/2/75
Station
6/17/75
7/2/75
Station
6/17/75
7/2/75
7/20/75
8/4/75
2.26
2.32
2.17
2.68
3.86
311, T.
3.88
1.17
1.75
3.61
4.61
1.28
1.31
312, T.
2.44
3.35
3.31
313, T.
1.83
0.64
314, T.
3.82
3.69
315, T.
1.82
1.95
316, T.
1.10
1.40
1.34
2.22
Specific
Conduc-
tance
(ttnhos)
Acidity Alka-
(as Unity
CaC03 (as
rng/1) CaCO,
mg/ir
Sulfate
(mg/1 )
Silica
(mg/1)
Iron Iron
Total (mq/1)
Recov-
erable
(mg/1)
Aluminum Lead Cooper Zinc Cadmium Calcium "teqnesiuni
(mq/1) (mq/1) (mg/1) (mq/1) (mq/1) (mg/1) (mq/1)
9 S., R. 14 E., Sec. 25 ADC (continued)
2.58
3.41
2.80
3.07
4.08
9 S.,
2.51
3.02
3.00
3.53
4.14
2.49
3.12
9 S.,
6.99
6.95
7.01
9 S.,
6.98
7.03
9 S.,
5.70
5.90
9 S.,
4.41
4.42
9 S.,
6.28
6.11
6.58
6.25
7640.
6750.
7870.
8790.
10400.
R. 14 E.,
9400.
2040.
1930.
7850.
14300.
2330.
2020.
R. 14 E.,
373.
404.
551.
R. 14 E.,
831.
694.
R. 14 E.,
26300.
8770.
R. 14 E.,
3800.
4320.
R. 14 E.,
1200.
746.
459.
655.
3340.
3260.
3280.
4880.
—
Sec. 25 ADC
6910.
538.
396.
683.
13200.
574.
556.
Sec. 25 ACD
._
—
Sec. 25 ACD
--
Sec. 25 ACD
--
Sec. 25 ACD
951.
895.
Sec. 25 ADB
__
--
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
0.
162.
208.
312
469.
364.
181.
314.
0.
0.
56.
48.
64.
56.
6820.
6970.
7290.
9050.
11200.
9690.
1230.
1020.
7630.
17600.
1310.
1260.
22.
13.5
19.7
30.
17.9
49900.
7240.
3120.
3360.
617.
346.
161.
268.
34.2
28.2
28.
30.
23.
52.
14.
14.
72.
62.
12.
13.
7.
7
1
7
5
5
2
3
0
7
5
1
8.6
9.2
14.2
9.4
27
11
30
29
15
15
10
15
.6
.6
.8
.2
.2
.4
.7
1920. 1840.
1800. 1730.
2020. 1820.
2720. 2560.
3660. 3680.
3690.
283.
184.
2590.
7540.
324.
290. 282.
0.77
23.2 1.8
27.7 11.7
0.39
0.57 0.30
20600.
1290. 1380.
635.
1620. 1510.
n.
7.0 5.
8.3 0.
6.5 3.
1.37 — 0.86 0.64
3.25 0.18 ' 7.4 0.8
5.55 0.230 6.70 0.890 0.030
24.4
21.4
-------
APPENDIX F
TABLE F-l. CHEMISTRY OF SNOW SAMPLES
Constituent Ca Mg Na K Fe Mn Si02 HCOs Cl S04 F Pba Zn Cu Cd
Location
Cemetery near 0.29 0.08 0.2 0.2 0.04 .01 1.0 1.46 1.30 13.7 .05 3.9 8.5 1.0 1.0
mill site
By cabin, 0.24 0.06 0.2 0.1 0.01 .01 1.0 1.46 2.65 10.4 .05 2.0 10.0 5.2 1.0
McLaren mine
_, site
en
^ Site 211 0.38 0.09 0.3 0.2 0.05 .01 1.0 0.98 2.00 9.7 .05 2.0 4.0 1.0 1.0
McLaren pit —b — — — — — — 4.0 51.2 10.3 1.5
Glengary at — — -- — — — — -- — — — 4.1 11.0 3.5 1.3
back of
cirque
Site 204 — — — — — -- -- — — — — 2.6 1.0 1.4 1.0
Site 207 —. — — — — — — — — — — 2.0 10.9 2.3 1.0
? Micrograms per liter, all other milligrams per liter.
D Dash indicates sample not tested.
-------
APPENDIX G
SUMMARY OF WELL AND DRILLING DATA
Eleven wells were constructed during the summer of 1973 within the
tailings pond materials, using a large backhoe and 4-inch heavy plastic
casing. During the 1974 field season, five more wells were added at the
mill site, and nine wells were installed in the mine areas. Wells in this
second group were shallower due to the use of a smaller backhoe (see
Table G-l). A Mobile-50 drilling truck was employed during the 1975 field
season; 28 wells were drilled, primarily to gain information and samples
pertaining to the mineralogy, stratigraphy, and hydrology or the depth
of oxidation in the mill and mine sites. The drilling records are
summarized in Table G-l; the comments were taken from the field notes of the
geologist in charge, Larry Higgins in 1973, Joe Wallace in 1974, and John
Sonderegger in 1975.
155
-------
TABLE G-l. DRILLING SUMMARY
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mill site
1
2
3
8
(continued)
Altitude
of land
surface (ra)
2330.26
2334.55
2329.84
2329.50
2329.57
2327.80
2328.04
2328.69
Depth
On)
2.62
4.57
Casing
(m)
3.14 Yes, 3.05
Yes, 2.44
Yes, 4.57
6.10 Yes, 6,10
6.52 Yes, 6.40
5.55 Yes, 5.49
5.70 Yes, 5.49
7.32 Yes, 7.32
Comments9
(measurements in m)
Tailings and gravel
1.3-1.9; tailings 1.9-3.1;
TD in gravel and boulders.
Sand and gravel 0-2.6;
TD in gravel and boulders.
Sand and gravel with
streaks of tailings 0.91-
1.83; fine sand with some
gravel 1.83-4.57.
Tailings 0.61-5.49; 5.49-
6.10 brown gravel and
cobbles (small amount of
water seeping in from
sides).
Tailings 1.22-6.52; satu-
rated clay and tailings in
bottom 1.22-1.83; TD in
boulders and gravel; hole
sides slumping.
Sand and clay with some
boulders 0-3.96; gravel
and boulders with stumps
and tree trunks (old
creek bed) 3.96-5.55; TD
in creek bed; water.
Tailings with some clay
0.46-4.60; clay and sand
with some boulders and
tailings 4.60-5.70.
Tailings 6.10-7.01;
boulders and gravel 7.01-
7.32.
156
-------
TABLE G-l. (continued)
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mill site
(continued)
10
11
20
Altitude
of land
surface (m)
Depth Casing
(m) (m)
2331.49
2330.55
2329.90
3.66
No
5.64 Yes, 5.49
5.94 Yes, 5.79
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
2333.
2330.
2329.
2330.
2331.
2329.
2329.
2329.
38
98
15b
44
03
99
99
60
3
3
4
3
3
5
5
5
.66
.75
.27
.96
.05
.79
.94
.64
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
3.66
3.66
4.27
3.96
3.05
6.10
6.10
6.10
6.86 Yes, 6.92
Comments3
(measurements in m)
Tailings 0.61-2.44;
boulders and gravel 2.44-
3.66.
Tailings 0.46-5.18;
boulders and gravel 5.18-
5.64.
Tailings 0.61-5.94; TO in
boulders.
Sand and gravel 0-3.66.
Sand and gravel 0-3.75.
Tailings 0.67-4.27.
Tailings, 0.91-3.96-
Gravel and cobbles 0-3.05.
Tailings 0.91-5.18; gravel
5.18-5.79.
Tailings 0.61-5.49; gravel
and tailings 5.49-5.94.
Tailings (gray-green
pyritic) 0.76-3.05 (black;
damp) 3.05-3.96, (black
and brown) 3.96-5.64;
gravel at bottom.
Tailings (green) 0.85-2.13,
(black-brown, dry) 2.13-
3.66, (gray-green, silty,
wet) 3.66-6.71; gravel
6.71T6.86.
(continued)
157
-------
TABLE 6-1. (continued)
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mill site
(continued)
21
22c
23C
24Ad
24BC
25
26
Altitude
of land
surface (m)
2329.87
2330.38
2329.93
2327.50
2328.25
2329.21
2329.28
Depth Casing
M (m)
5.94 Yes, 6.10
6.86 Yes, 6.74
6.40 Yes, 6.77
17.65 Yes, 6.10
22.95 Yes, 6.10
9.14 Yes, 8.53
8.38 Yes, 8.23
Comments3
(measurements in m)
Tailings (blue-green) 0.76-
1.52, (gray-green) 1.52-
5.64; gravel 5.64-5.94;
water table at 3.05-3.35;
could hear water entering
hole from unknown depth.
Tailings 1.22-6.25; sand
and "hematite" 6.25-6.34;
gravel 6.34-6.86; water
table at about 3.35.
Tailings (normal) 0.61-
1.83, (with oxidized
material) 1.83-2.13,
(normal) 2.13-3.26,
(oxidized) 3.26-3.35,
(normal) 3.35-3.90, (clay
and pyrite) 3.90-4.27,
(normal) 4.27-4.57; gravel
4.57-5.94; gravel with
sand lenses 5.94-6.40.
Tailings 0.46-8.84; gravel
8.84-13.72; granite 13.72-
17.65; "soft zone" 15.54-
15.85; pyrite noted, minor
chlorite.
Tailings 7-3.81; gravel
3.81-18.29; diorite 18.29-
22.95.
Tailings 0.61-6.71; gravel
6.71-9.14-
Tailings 0.91-7.16; gravel
7.16-8.38'
(continued)
158
-------
TABLE G-l. (continued)
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mill site
(continued)
27
28C
29C
30C
32
33C
Altitude
of land
surface (m)
2329.45
2329.57
2329.38
2330.51
2331.42
2330.32
2328.56
Depth Casing
(m) (m)
8.38 Yes, 6.10
6.10 Yes, 6.10
7.01 Yes, 6.10
5.18 Yes, 5.18
3.66 No
2.74 No
7.47 Yes, 6.10
Comments9
(measurements in m)
Tailings 0.91-6.86; gravel
and tailings 6.86-7.92;
gravel 7.92-8.38.
Tailings (with sand and
gravel) 0.76-1.07, (normal)
1,07-3.32, (oxidized-
contamination?) 3.32-3.35,
(normal) 3.35-5.33; gravel
5.33-6.10.
Tailings (mixed with gravel)
1.52-2.13, (high clay)
2.13-2.44, (silty) 2.44-
2.74, (normal, wet) 2.74-
3.35, (normal) 3.35-6.86;
gravel 6.86-7.01.
Tailings 0.76-4.82, minor
oxidized zone (contamina-
tion?) at 3.05; gravel
4.82-5.18.
Sand and tailings 1.52-
2.74; no recovery 2.74-
3.05; sand and gravel
3.05-3.66.
Gravel and sand 0-2.74.
Tailings (normal) 0.61-
1.52, (no recovery) 1.52-
2.13, (sandy and silty)
2.13-3.35, (silty) 3.35-
3.96, (with pebbles)
3.96-4.57, (normal) 4.57-
6.40, (clay rich) 6.40-
7.01,(normal) 7.01-7.38;
gravel 7.38-7.47.
(continued)
159
-------
TABLE G-l. (continued)
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mill site
(continued)
34C
35C
36d
Altitude
of land
surface (m)
Depth
(m)
2327.76
6,71
Casing
(m)
8.23 Yes, 6.10
Yes, 4.!
11.49 Yes, 7.13
McLaren
mine site
no
m
112
113
114
115
Au 1
2944
2934
2954
2944
2925
2937
__
.51
.61
.07
.04
.28
.33
e
3.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
5.
51
99
04
69
02
96
18
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes,
Yes
3.
3.
2.
3.
3.
4.
66
05
13
96
f
35^
27
f
Comments
(measurements in m)
Tailings 0.76-8.14, oxi-
dized zones at 1.13, 2.74-
3.35 interval, creek over-
flow? or "dirt" in 2.13-
2.74 interval; gravel 8.14-
8.23.
Tailings 2.29-2.90, and
3.05-4.27; gravel 2.90-
3.05 and 4.27-4.57; gravel
with sand lenses 4.57-5.12;
boulders 5.12-6.71.
Gravel 0-3.05 and 4.11-
6.10; sand (trace pyrite)
3.05-4.11; sand and
gravel 6.10-6.77; granite
6.77-11.19.
Oxidized sulfide ores,
0-3.51.
Oxidized wastes (some
sulfides) 0-2.99.
Oxidized and weathered
soil 0-1.83.
Oxidized wastes (some
sulfides) 0-3.69.
Oxidized wastes 0-3.02.
Soil and waste 0-3.96.
Oxidized rock and soil
0-5.18; dry.
(continued)
160
-------
TABLE G-l. (continued)
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mine site
(continued)
Au 2
Altitude
of land
surface (m)
Depth Casing
(m) (m)
6.86 Yes
Au 3
6.86 Yes
Au 4
Au 5
3.05
Yes
8.38 Yes
Comments9
(measurements in m)
Silt, sand, and sulfides
(outer surface oxidized
but centers fresh) 0-4.88;
"gravelly", poor recovery
4.88-5.49; finer material —
silt, sand, and small
pebbles; 6.10-6.86—not
sure—may be weathered
bedrock.
Gravel and wastes (strongly
oxidized) 0-0.91; gravel
and wastes 0.91-2.13; mine
wastes, clay, silt- and
sand-size, wet at 3.05,
oxidized 2.13-5.03; coarse
wastes 5.03-6.10; soft
wastes (predominantly clay)
6.10-6.71; gravel 6.71-
6.86.
Oxidized clay with ore
pebbles 0-2.13; cobbles of
bedrock? 2.13-3.05.
Clay- and silt-size wastes
0-1.83, coarse mine waste
1.83-2.44; clay- and silt-
size waste 2.44-3.66;
coarse (gravel to cobble
size) waste 3.66-3.96;
fairly soft clay, silt-
and sand-size material
3.96-7.92; sand-size pyrite
and rock pebbles 7.92-8.38;
oxidized to bottom 0.46.
TD very hard drilling
(cobbles to boulders?).
(continued)
161
-------
TABLE G-l. (continued)
Site and
hole no.
McLaren
mine site
(continued)
Au 6
212
Au 1
Altitude
of land
surface (m)
Depth
2970.55
1.37
13.72
Casing
(m)
5.49 Yes
Glengary
mine site
21
21
0
1
2963.
2970.
50
45
1
2
.83
.50
Yes,
Yes,
1
o
.83
.74
Yes, 1.37f
Yes, 12.19
Comments
(measurements in m)
Sand, minor clay and some
ore pebbles 0-3.05;
increasingly coarser
material becoming damp
3.05-4.57; gravel- and sand-
size waste 4.57-5.49; TD
on hard material (boulder?).
Soil 0-1.83.
Soil 0-1.83; weathered
bedrock 1.83-2.50.
Soil 0-1.07; weathered
bedrock 1.07-1.37.
Blue-gray sulfides and clay;
harder at 13.41-13.72.
a At mill site, the first 0.46-1.52 m is material added in recontouring
unless otherwise noted.
£ Altitude of casing top (land surface is about 1 m lower).
*: Split spoon core holes.
d Diamond drill core holes.
^ Altitude not determined.
50.8 mm (outside diam.) pipe for water-level measurements only.
162
-------
APPENDIX H
TABLE H-l. WATER LEVELS - McLAREN MILL SITE3
Station
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
1973 1973 1974
Oct. November Feb. March May
3 8 30 25 22 14
"b " -- — — 11.13
15.85 15.79 15.79 scc sc sc
10.79
8.64
9.18 9.79 8.99 9.03 sc 9.44
7-38 6.29 6.69 6.38 5.99 9.57
7.62
--
10.13 10.24 10.27 10.21 10.57 11.54
10.22
—
—
--
—
_
21
12.47
sc
11.98
8.69
9.90
9.45
7.65
—
11.73
10.66
_.
29
13.98
16.86
—
10.67
11.55
10.64
9.05
9.02
12.47
12.28
__
..
„
..
June
6
13.99
18.18
13.27
11.28
12.02
10.98
9.64
9.73
12.93
12.99
10
13.93
18.20
13.06
11.01
11.81
10.91
9.46
9.71
12.87
• 12.94
..
17
13.56
16.27
13.11
11.38
11.49
11.13
9.88
9.98
12.97
13.06
25
13.55
16.15
13.02
11.62
11.47
11.18
10.06
10.26
13.00
13.08
July
1
13.25
16.11
12.79
11.34
11.51
11.12
9.89
10.46
12.90
12.81
8
12.91
16.12
12.40
10.92
11.45
11.01
9.57
10.34
12.47
12.35
16
12.46
16.07
11.63
10.49
11.38
10.93
9.25
10.10
12.22
11.94
1974
24
11.90
16.01
11.75
9.98
11.31
10.81
11.88
9.76
11.93
11.84
(continued)
-------
TABLE H-l (continued)
Station
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
303
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
1974
July
29
11.60
15.98
11.34
9.75
11.25
10.71
8.63
9.60
11.79
11.32
—
—
—
—
—
August
5
10.98
16.12
10.93
9.29
10.33
10.66
3.26
9.33
11.59
10.82
—
--
—
--
.-
12
—
16.
06
10.36
8.
11.
10.
7.
9.
11.
10.
—
—
8.
—
--
73
06
47
80
01
51
50
21
20
—
15.74
9.91
8.26
10.93
9.90
7.37
8.65
11.54
10.27
—
--
8.11
—
--
26
—
15.96
9.
8.
49
38
11.09
9.
7.
8.
11.
10.
—
—
7.
—
—
67
44
65
54
13
83
September
6
-
15
9
7
10
9
- 6
8
11
10
-
11
-
-
-
-
.93
.28
.67
.64
.09
.69
.21
.48
.01
-
.10
-
-
-
October
13 24 1 7
_.
15.97 15.90 15.92 15.96
--
7.36
10.43 10.30 10.23 10.13
8.70 3.10 7.31 7.63
6.20
3.04 7.43 7,25 7.12
11.45 11.41 11.25 11.38
9.75 9.17 8.95 8.76
..
—
„
..
-.
1974
November
14 22 6 11 18 26
--
15.94 15.93 15.90 15.90 15.39 15.88
•
—
10.07 9.98 10.17 9.80 9.80 9.67
7.63 7.47 7.41 7.39 7.34 7.30
—
7.04 6.36 6.97 6.89 6.75 6.55
11.34 11.32 11.27 11.26 11.32 11.21
—
—
_.
—
--
—
(continued)
-------
TABLE H-l (continued)
Decker 19?5 1975
301
302 15.83 15.85 15.82 15.81 15.79 - - - 15.86 15.81 sc sc sc sc sc sc
303 --
304
305
306
—> 307
01 308
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
(continued)
9.63
7.28
6.37
11.20
9.60
7.31
6.79
11.17
9.48
7.25
6.83
11.15
9.39
7.25
6.53
11.08
9.32
7.09
6.40
11.17
9.22
6.99
6.27
11.05
9.16
6.95
6.39
11.01
9.15
7.20
6.99
10.95
9.24
6.73
6.37
10.36
9.03
6.21
6.29
10.47
8.98
6.20
6.31
10.65
8.90
5.96
6.31
10.51
8.80
—
6.18
10.41
8.57
--
5.93
10.40
8.45 8.25
5.88 5.86
-------
TABLE H-l (continued)
1975
April
Station 19 14 23 30
301
302 sc sc sc sc sc
303
304
305 8.12 7.88 7.84. 7.76 7.75
306
—• 307
en
*** 308 5.76 5.32 5.26
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
(continued)
Hay
8 17
12.36
sc sc
13.73
—
7.57 11.44
11.61
--
9.02
—
—
—
—
19 27
14.22 12.53
sc sc
9.52
7.67
11.60 8.84
8.03
6.51
9.64 8.53
10.58
9.56
-.
._
June
5
13
17
13
10
11
11
8
.93
.13
.73
.34
.99
.61
.89
9.95
12
11
13
-•
.30
.26
.60
8.20
--
—
__
10,
12.
.91
,04
12
14.09
17.12
13.09
11.16
11.97
10.83
9.49
9.52
12.51
12.42
14.55
12.64
dry
11.53
13.36
17
14
16
.09
.64
13.31
11
11
11
.41
.83
.05
9.75
9
12
12
14
13.
7
11
13
.67
.83
.81
.67
.36
.76
.73
.34
22
13.41
16.57
13.01
11.07
12.12
10.96
9.56
9.67
12.73
12.64
14.44
13.58
8.00
11.37
13.03
July
1
13
16
12
11
n
10
.37
.18
.84
.32
.36
.92
9.83
9
12
12
13
14
8
.94
.74
.78
.76
,55
.34
12.91
13
.23
9
13.80
16.33
13.23
11.84
11.57
11.24
10.22
10.36
13.11
13.20
14.06
14.36
8.68
12.17
13.80
1975
20
13.41
16.21
12.94
11.55
11 .52
11.17
10.07
10.59
12.91
12.94
13.80
13.94
9.26
11 .80
13.30
-------
TABLE H-l (continued)
Station
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
310
311
312
313
. 314
315
316
1975
July
29
13.04
16.10
12.55
11.22
11.49
11.08
3.82
10.57
12.64
12.61
—
13.63
9.65
11.46
12.84
August
4
12.73
16.15
12.27
ld.87
11.47
10.98
9.57
10.40
12.40
12.25
--
13.43
9.26
11.09
12.43
13
12.22
15.98
11.81
10.50
11.34
10.81
9.26
10.20
12.14
11.82
—
13.25
9.11
10.70
11.98
19
11.80
16.07
11.54
10.15
11.32
10.79
9.00
10.04
11.98
11.63
—
13.18
9.03
10.33
26
11.31
16.11
11.21
9.81
11.21
10.67
8.73
9.85
11.72
11.41
—
13.03
8.85
September
4 9
—
16.00
10.73
9.40
11.05
10.28
8.39
9.65
11.37
11.09
—
12.75
8.54
--
15.98
10.32
8.78
10.96
9.90
7.84
9.52
11.36
10.86
—
12.57
8.37
1975
22
--
16.05
9.29
7.72
10.65
9.21
6.71
9.02
11.31
10.12
—
12.03
7.78
* Elevation is 2316.48 m. All measurements are in m.
b Dash indicates no measurable water level in well.
c Snow cover, well not located and measured.
-------
TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
{Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1, REPORT fVO.
EPA-600/2-77-224
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION-NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Mine Drainage Control from Metal Mines in a Subalpine
Environment - A Feasibility Study
5, REPORT DATE
November 1977 issuing date
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Montana Department of Natural Resources and
Conservation
32 South Ewing
Helena, Montana 59601
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
1BB604
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
Grant S 802671
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRFSS
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory - cin.,OH
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final/.June 1975 - August '7'
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/12
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
Investigations of the McLaren mine and mill areas and the Glengary mine
area in the vicinity of Cooke City, Montana, were undertaken from July 1973
through September 1975, to examine the acid mine drainage (.AMD) from these
sources and determine the feasibility of rehabilitating these subalpine
mining areas and mill area. A biological study was conducted to determine
the existing degraded biological conditions of streams affected by AMD and
the extent of reclamation necessary to restore a viable fishery to the
stream.
Reclamation proposed includes recontouring and revegetating land sur-
faces, sealing shafts in the mine area, and isolating the tailings from
Soda Butte ureek.
17.
KEY WORDS AMD DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.lDENTIFIERS/OFEN ENDED TERMS
Subalpine
Montana
COSATI Field/Group
- tm/D -
Mining
Tailings
Reclamation
Water quality
Geology
Hydrology
Bioassay
Expenses
Heavy metals
Fish tissue
Cooke City
Stillwater River
Clarke Tbrk
Soda Butte
McLaren Mine
Acid mine drainage
08/G
08/H
08/1
08/M
08/B
08/A
13. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
RELEASE TO PUBLIC
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
Unclassified
21.
NO. OF PAGES
178
2n. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage/
Unclassified
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
168
ir 11.5. EOVEBNMENT PRINTING OFFICE-1578— 757-140/6633
------- |