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MERCURY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT FROM HISTORIC MINING PRACTICES
Citation:
Jewett*, D G. MERCURY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT FROM HISTORIC MINING PRACTICES. Presented at Frontiers in Science Conference, Purdue University, IN, 09/20/2002.
Description:
Significant quantities of mercury have been released to the environment as a result of historic precious metal mining. Many gold and silver deposits are enriched in mercury, which is released during mining and processing activities. Historically in the U.S., although a modern occurrence in other regions of the world, mercury was used to amalgamate precious metals and much was lost at hydraulic mining and stamp milling operations. Mercury ore deposits, mined for use in precious metal recovery processes, also are a source of historic mercury contamination. The U.S. EPA currently is working on a variety of mercury issues related to mining, from remediating historically contaminated sites to reducing present-day and future releases. This presentation will review mercury releases to the environment associated with historic mining practices in the U.S. A brief discussion of the hydrogeology and geochemistry influencing mercury fate and transport at the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site, located on the shore of Clear Lake, California, also will be provided as an example of EPA efforts to better understand mercury releases to the environment.