Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
Old mines continue to pollute Sierra streams, but two close to Nevada City and Grass Valley will soon be cleaned up by federal agencies.
Work is now underway at the EPA's Lava Cap Mine Superfund Site three miles west of Grass Valley, where an old gold and silver mine created arsenic and mercury tailings, and a subsequent environmental disaster polluted Little Clipper Creek.
The Davis Lode Mine site and mill about three miles north of Nevada City has a preferred clean-up plan for almost an acre of arsenic and mercury-tainted tailings, which contain concentrations that could cause a public health hazard.
"The original mine owners left a pile of tailings near a tributary of Rock Creek," said Tim Carroll, an abandoned mine lands coordinator for the Bureau of Land Management. "The federal government plans to clean it up before it becomes a serious problem."
Arsenic occurs naturally in the Sierra and was exposed to the environment in the gold ore extraction process that produced tailing piles. The tailings also often had mercury in them, which was used to find small pieces of gold in the milling process. Both are considered poisonous to humans.
The Lava Cap cleanup has long since been approved, but the Davis plan is up for public scrutiny. People can hear about it from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Madelyn Helling Library Community Room in Nevada City next to the Rood Center.
The Lava Cap Mine operated sporadically from 1861 to 1943, producing gold and silver. In 1979, state officials found a rotting log dam at the site that was leaking arsenic-tainted tailings into Little Clipper Creek, which runs into Lost Lake and its residential area.
In 1994, the EPA did soil tests on the mine property which showed high levels of arsenic and lead, which can cause developmental problems in children. But before anything was done, a major winter storm in 1997 broke the dam and 10,000 cubic yards of tainted tailings went into the creek.
Now, "we're cleaning it up and putting in a rock buttress," at the dam site, according to Lauren Berkman of the EPA in San Francisco. "It will be quite an engineering feat."
According to project manager Dave Seter, finely ground tailings at the site present an air danger and arsenic levels are particularly high for children. Wells down stream have been tested, but only one in recent years showed unacceptable arsenic levels and it responded to treatment.
According to Lost Lake resident Arthur Gould, "My well's been testing just fine ever since the project started," the last test having been performed two months ago.
But Gould hasn't gone in the lake since learning about the pollution after the 1997 dam break.
"It's very rare that I see anyone using the lake," Gould said, which has no public access. However, he said he did see someone on the lake recently.
A contractor for EPA is currently building a containment system at the Lava Cap Mine for the tailings. A drain system will be built to steer water around the tailings.
Mine buildings will be decontaminated and contaminated soil along Little Clipper Creek will be removed. The main route for trucks will be along Tensy Lane off Greenhorn Road.
Davis Lode Mine
The Davis Lode Mine cleanup will cost around $300,000 if the preferred alternative of excavating and removing the tailings is done, Carroll said.
The intact Davis Mill building could one day be used for tours, necessitating a clean area according to BLM documents. The building has already been cleaned for mercury and hantavirus spread by rodents, Carroll said.
"We're hoping to proceed quickly after the meeting with the preferred alternative," Carroll said, in order to finish the cleanup by Sept. 30.
Public input on the Davis Lode Mine cleanup will start June 19 and be accepted by the BLM through July 19.
For more information, call BLM at (916) 985-4474 or visit the Folsom office Web site at www.ca.blm.gov/folsom.
ooo
To contact senior staff writer Dave Moller e-mail davem@the union.com or call 477-4237.
Know and Go
What: David Lode Mine cleanup public input meeting.
When: 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, June 19.
Where: Madelyn Helling Library Community Room, Nevada City next to the Rood Building off Highway 49.
Work is now underway at the EPA's Lava Cap Mine Superfund Site three miles west of Grass Valley, where an old gold and silver mine created arsenic and mercury tailings, and a subsequent environmental disaster polluted Little Clipper Creek.
The Davis Lode Mine site and mill about three miles north of Nevada City has a preferred clean-up plan for almost an acre of arsenic and mercury-tainted tailings, which contain concentrations that could cause a public health hazard.
"The original mine owners left a pile of tailings near a tributary of Rock Creek," said Tim Carroll, an abandoned mine lands coordinator for the Bureau of Land Management. "The federal government plans to clean it up before it becomes a serious problem."
Arsenic occurs naturally in the Sierra and was exposed to the environment in the gold ore extraction process that produced tailing piles. The tailings also often had mercury in them, which was used to find small pieces of gold in the milling process. Both are considered poisonous to humans.
The Lava Cap cleanup has long since been approved, but the Davis plan is up for public scrutiny. People can hear about it from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Madelyn Helling Library Community Room in Nevada City next to the Rood Center.
The Lava Cap Mine operated sporadically from 1861 to 1943, producing gold and silver. In 1979, state officials found a rotting log dam at the site that was leaking arsenic-tainted tailings into Little Clipper Creek, which runs into Lost Lake and its residential area.
In 1994, the EPA did soil tests on the mine property which showed high levels of arsenic and lead, which can cause developmental problems in children. But before anything was done, a major winter storm in 1997 broke the dam and 10,000 cubic yards of tainted tailings went into the creek.
Now, "we're cleaning it up and putting in a rock buttress," at the dam site, according to Lauren Berkman of the EPA in San Francisco. "It will be quite an engineering feat."
According to project manager Dave Seter, finely ground tailings at the site present an air danger and arsenic levels are particularly high for children. Wells down stream have been tested, but only one in recent years showed unacceptable arsenic levels and it responded to treatment.
According to Lost Lake resident Arthur Gould, "My well's been testing just fine ever since the project started," the last test having been performed two months ago.
But Gould hasn't gone in the lake since learning about the pollution after the 1997 dam break.
"It's very rare that I see anyone using the lake," Gould said, which has no public access. However, he said he did see someone on the lake recently.
A contractor for EPA is currently building a containment system at the Lava Cap Mine for the tailings. A drain system will be built to steer water around the tailings.
Mine buildings will be decontaminated and contaminated soil along Little Clipper Creek will be removed. The main route for trucks will be along Tensy Lane off Greenhorn Road.
Davis Lode Mine
The Davis Lode Mine cleanup will cost around $300,000 if the preferred alternative of excavating and removing the tailings is done, Carroll said.
The intact Davis Mill building could one day be used for tours, necessitating a clean area according to BLM documents. The building has already been cleaned for mercury and hantavirus spread by rodents, Carroll said.
"We're hoping to proceed quickly after the meeting with the preferred alternative," Carroll said, in order to finish the cleanup by Sept. 30.
Public input on the Davis Lode Mine cleanup will start June 19 and be accepted by the BLM through July 19.
For more information, call BLM at (916) 985-4474 or visit the Folsom office Web site at www.ca.blm.gov/folsom.
ooo
To contact senior staff writer Dave Moller e-mail davem@the union.com or call 477-4237.
Know and Go
What: David Lode Mine cleanup public input meeting.
When: 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, June 19.
Where: Madelyn Helling Library Community Room, Nevada City next to the Rood Building off Highway 49.
