©EPA
Utilled States
Environmental Protection
Agency
**
*Proposed Site
National Priorities List (NPL)
***
BAUTSCH-GRAY MINE
Galena, Illinois
Jo Daviess County
(?) Site Location:
OSWER/OSRTI
Washington, DC 20460
March 2012
The Bautsch-Gray Mine site consists of the remnants of an abandoned lead-zinc mine and milling operation located
approximately four miles south of Galena in Rice Township, Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The site contains a 40-acre
mine tailings pile, a 4.8-acre surface impoundment and 4.9 acres of contaminated soil. The site is in a rural area and is
located approximately 1.5 miles east of the Mississippi River.
Site History:
The Bautsch and Gray Mines were two separate underground mines. The Mineral Point Zinc Company began
operating at the Gray Mine in 1927 and continued until the 1940s. In 1946, Tri-State Zinc began operating at the
Bautsch Mine. From 1969 until 1979, Eagle Picher operated from both mines. Currently, the property encompassed by
the Bautsch-Gray Mine site is owned by three separate entities. No mining activities have occurred on the property
since 1979.
I Site Contamination/Contaminants:
A mill formerly located on the Bautsch-Gray Mine site processed rock from the Bautsch and Gray Mines. After rock
was mined, it was transported to the mill which was located near the present day location of the tailings pile. The mill
was used to crush and grind rock and separate usable lead and zinc ore. The leftover rock, referred to as mine tailings,
began to accumulate on the site in the late 1940s. Mine tailings areas are devoid of vegetation and/or have distressed
vegetation. A large berm, composed of mine tailings, parallels Blackjack Road. Sampling of the areas contaminated by
mine tailings found elevated levels of lead, zinc, arsenic and cadmium.
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