Understanding and Responding to Hazardous Substances at Mine Sites in the Western United States

This volume documents interesting approaches, techniques, and practical scientific considerations associated with mine site remediation. It also highlights how various federal, state, and local agencies and organizations are trying to bring the best science possible to bear on this serious problem. Some chapters focus on specific methods for characterization, particular contaminant issues, and impacts from the release of hazardous substances from mine and mill sites. Others describe successful response actions, technologies, or practical approaches for addressing contaminant releases to the environment.
Approaches to contamination at mercury mill sites: Examples from California and Idaho
-
Published:January 01, 2007
-
CiteCitation
Jerome V. DeGraff, Michelle Rogow, Pat Trainor, 2007. "Approaches to contamination at mercury mill sites: Examples from California and Idaho", Understanding and Responding to Hazardous Substances at Mine Sites in the Western United States, Jerome V. DeGraff
Download citation file:
- Share
Abstract
Abandoned or inactive mercury mines are found throughout the western United States. Mercury contamination from these mines has migrated into a variety of different media in varying forms. Cleanups and mitigation projects have been undertaken by various agencies and private entities at a number of these mines, although many remain to be addressed. Although each cleanup has similar objectives, such as source control, the methods employed in each area of the site may differ. By having an understanding of mercury and its effects and assessing different methods used at mercury-mine cleanups, future actions can be more effective at addressing the variety of issues posed by mercury contamination at former extraction and processing sites. This paper provides background on mercury, its occurrences, its health effects, and the mercury mining process. Four cleanup sites that utilized different methods for addressing mercury contamination illustrate how different sources at abandoned mercury mill sites may be addressed to mitigate impacts.
- abandoned mines
- California
- Coast Ranges
- decontamination
- environmental management
- Idaho
- mercury ores
- metal ores
- methylation
- mines
- mitigation
- planning
- point sources
- pollution
- reclamation
- regulations
- remediation
- San Luis Obispo County California
- Santa Barbara County California
- sealing
- tailings
- toxic materials
- United States
- Valley County Idaho
- waste disposal
- waste management
- Gibraltar Mine
- Deer Trail Mine
- Rinconada Mine
- Cinnabar Mine