Table Of ContentWun
88077067
BB0T10L4
ABANDONED MINE LAND INVENTORY
AND
HAZARD EVALUATION HANDBOOK
By
Staff, U.S. Bureau of Mines
September 1993
BLM Library
Denver Federal Center
Bldg. 50, OC-521
P.O. Box 25047 DRAFT
Denver, CO 80225
FOREWORD
The U.S. Bureau of Mines produced this handbook in response to the increased concern by many
groups, including land managing agencies, about the environmental and physical hazards and legal
liabilities of abandoned mines. It sets forth guidance for the development of an abandoned mine land
(AML) inventory and the subsequent investigation and evaluation of the environmental and physical
hazards present on such lands. It is designed for use by land management and other agencies that are
subject to regulations governing the mitigation of environmental and public safety hazards that exist
on AML within their jurisdiction but who may be unfamiliar with mining and mineral processing.
Mines, mills, and smelters may be divided into two groups: operating (those with production)
and non-operating (those without production). This manual addresses only the non-operating mines,
‘mills, and smelters. The term "abandoned mine land" is used herein as a generic term without
specific intent or implication to any legal or political connotation on a State or national level.
Page
PRUs fae ae er mre feel eee aa ere Reae hn ey ocd, oss hots, Bow WOE AEG hgrp teeta 3)a ceice'lg! aca ]
InirOductionea: Seen ee Ad Reel, ARMING Scere A, GO MaOO CL #
Mineral MmaustryiOverviewity Mile SaPanBAs 4 3 20H DAO IONNY olay! WO Aailpae eam), 0. 2
Povenudlsbazards atumineral sitesi eas ae Tees tk da A A. OL 5
Environmentalthazards related torminerals yw 0-5 wih oo cere ew oeO e A Pobre. . 4. 5
Environmental hazards related to processing chemicals ....................000. 9
Othemcheruicaland associatedshazards i WaRhee ee. nt oy ea os oe. SOO RS) et eM, La. 11
Puysicalthazardss ete die hn vie A eat anaes e, BRS, Ul aT 0 Cae 2bino. gor YP , 11
AME- inventory ire. 9p) eo Grek Bese ohdehe sero: in, PEO Boloos-O ae bathe:
PUEPOSEEE SAF A coat apotek ctsh et aht et bab ecg) vies states ee, OUR RAS SY OTS) DRY P 15
PUI ETOCESSS OO J ieee be oth ah ts ON, PRIN Een TD weaCeer Bion? pimgayel, Os, 15
RELV CTILLOY . [HLASCE Mri as eins hnn ica se wats Ha ehot yo yt ot ans ty totes, SER PRLS ao SLT. 15
PADDIEO ACH: WEI SIE TIRE LORI MEME 5 rao bs thee ye: OED VUES I Sop 16
Stepal—Developaarlisting, OM AMI. SIteS 1240.5, 504, ns ou, Kons no's, (ARRON AUG OMS! Ve aleinigad, of, 17
Sources: Ofinformation O2,..~ «6. ROMMon. Ae Pe. HS ML ONO CO WO Jol Vineet), . St. 17
Using the AML inventory form—recording basic AML site information .............. ze
Task 1—Area delineation and map acquisition ................. b FUTTG toOte,N a E, ae
Task 2—Acquire MILS data—record dataon AML form ........................ 22
dask 3-—Muptdata) RO, OUR FEI Ie Ty eae eke ome hk O Aine Rc eh 28
Wask 4—Fstablish)a.computer file... « APR Ilo s he bas 2am hd... Bo
asks 5-sLiterature Searchers eek eee. fe SOs aN, oreae oinye- pie) b IO Blidtigg OL 35
Slulea selpect ing sitesaor Meld investigation © svescac|s a Mb dee ect lat Lubie Wie leew boas a a nts 36
Task 1—Spreadsheet field selection and completion of existing fields ................ 37
Task 2—Determination of “size” and “acid potential” .......................0.. 38
Task 3—Calculation of chemical hazard values: human, environmental, and overall ...... 39
Task.4—Kanking. and priority. listing... 4), GRe. POT & 10, sepabive 298 eho) Geen, .4-4 40
Stepll—Conducting-a.site investigation... .)..44 4%... Aes oo OO me yave, 42
Group 1—Preparing for site investigation ........0.. cc. ce.e e.ee.eee.ee.ua e 42
Group 2--On-site investigation 2 3. Wie she tae dae ho oe ee Be), Vi 43
Step [V—Identification of sites requiring future action... ........0.... .00.002. e ee 59
Identification eaeneen 6077 PC) ATES YR USI demo bie sopip? gy glade dt Ye 59
PUCULesACHIONS autora atlas ore Maka RCE Creed NEE plan os aK aec lan eee SHOE, OP US OMNES: 60
Elimination of public safety hazards. Ves FG his wh oea PR EO te BS 60
Elimination of environmental hazards 0.0.22 i ko hs we ee RE BS. nL Im 61
CONCLUSIONS a are deemek tyW oe kd eee me aea e Re WEE CYc uA res ccb sb ed otae k de gecactys oh ¢ OAM SES 62
BRELCLEN CES CILCC Ig Pela eu le a ed ea iha hi ets Cache DOME MAL Gest .Ci~t 62
Appendix A.—Mining and mineral processing terms ..................00000eeeae 63
Appendix B.—Typical mineral processing methods ....................0020 ee0 e e 74
Appendix C.-AML inventory and investigation form ...................0000e0a e 87
Pppendixe Dc=-L OpOPraphic: Maps am remem, Pie eh. oad eek i er Ee ee 95
Appendix E.-Hazard ranking tables Snel. Oe tineno! Desir innate, SV Oa Goer | sh. 102
Appendix F.—How and where to acquire MILS and other Bureau of Mines data .......... 107
Appendix G.—Suggested safety training for abandoned mine site investigators ............ 108
Appendix H.—Suggested equipment and supplies .........0..00.00. e.ee. e.eee e 110
Appendix I.~AML features, observations, hazards, and actions..................... 112
PADDeNGIX Jo~- DID OST ADL V Auer eS eee emceas od eho E.P tooi eee a Sue ack wey 127
ILLUSTRATIONS
Generalized mineral industry flowsheet ... 00.0.5 0 6-5 ete eee te ee eee:
Cross section of typical underground mine .... 1.2... eee eee ee eee
Abandoned ‘minessite=<: cu aieeedl ouis ettiine oA Cae ieee eee ee
Abandoned mill«site: os deuluwers, tex aseey. emer as err =
Mine: waste dump: : 2. 20 gens alguiei eeene
Millitailings ponds, baaj avis). ay. he eae ees See Tein ora:
Iron oxide stain on rocks in stream ......+) 4 .a .«4- n,s <.R5O0 5Ss)e4
Oil-cooleditransformer®: ie Siv hod heh does Meee: oes Phoes wih Gea A
CDWAoYAONl d dynamite in cardboard container... 1.6.20 - eee ee eee
Dynamite showing seepage of nitroglycerine "heads-siy wes gea tuate torts. ein < EMA
#h30-cap blasting machineder i. Bele) oe eae, ae ep a Cee = =
Example of heavy equipment 2 20. ese qco e ds eneu ev ef s oa bee pa pee ee
. Example of hazardous portal ,. 2... .).j2J:.4/-1i+- B1e-ne1 9o)a A XG neitell 2 golguy( lad qe:
. Density plot of MILS locations in the State of Nevada .........--.-+++-2+----
. AML data inventory form (pre-field section only) ......++. e-ee -eee- e.ee .
. MILS printout showing supplementary data ......- 2... eee ee eee eee eee
. Minerals life cycle of discovery, processing, use, and disposal ...........-.-.+---
. Example of a site sketch map, which shows general area and location of dumps,
eoaeee CPKC NW HhOo NNH e e
buildings, and other significant features .. 2.2.6... eee eee ee eee
19. Example of a large-scale sketch map showing a selected portion of asite............
B-1. Chilean mill ; . .; ahiell yeaa te notiniones bas Gornien Se See deheote|.tB eoetn.
B-2.. Remains of an arrastre ...,,. . elim Sion” Bek. “ons. 2 eee ek aes
B-3. Stamp;batteryis staan. pact caeey Deke Tacit 20. Role EGE RES.
B-4. Stamp rods are evidence of a former stamp mill ..........-.-5-2 -ee0e- e5ee
B-5. Gravity mill flowsheet, ..... 02... >. s-< - UR: Soe. @ ROD. Pee eee,
B-6.. Mineral jig c. 6 6 4c ke ln se ob ee OE BO Tae as? CURE.
B-7, Concentrating table... . 2 g 65 aay ak a es eo oo 0 = RE ee Ce
B-8. Typical flotation mill flowsheet, two-product .......2. .eee. e.ee -ee.e r.ee ce
B-9. Labels on barrels and other containers may indicate the type of reagents used at an
abandoned ‘mine or mill ni .c608 gp nts en we whence nee glee ar+ 0 ee em
B-10. Bank of flotation cells... « ..)4:00 64 4< 05's 5 OPRSEG. SI SiGUy 1 eee.
B-11. Ball mill and classifier... .).cca0h 4 45 6 2's Ce RR ee ere eS
B-12.. Thickener °0 .26 25.000 ocd Roa) real a ete cate ela oa apap ara oa Rta oa oe
B-13.. Heap leach flowsheet 2.) 5.4... 5,S ided. 4 qs iy 9 Siar ale i ian aoa ee
B-14. Typical heap leach operation. , .). ..~ .amneed Qqisnsno ye)a Re Qe. Tae
B-15. Remains of vat.leach mill....:,.,...,.. . .abaieg: SRG Te ae Ee
B-16. Vat leach flowsheet. .......i/..., cs, eo! CIBER Vee 2 ieee
D-1a. Information on five commonly-used topographic maps ............-.--5--ee-
D-1b. General map information and USGS Map Sales offices .................-.004.
D-2. Topographic mapisymbols si::.naieee Peaemnie 1i) Rea. Ve. Fe ieee
D-3. Southeast corner of Butte North, MT 15-min topographic map .................
D-4. Central portion of Nickel Mountain, OR 7.5-min topographic map ...............
ill
TABLES
Page
1. Historical use of "EPA Critical” mining chemicals for evaluation of environmental
azar dseteabandonccrminertallings myer ma ie ee AMA Po ki | 8 10
2. Suggested field names and spreadsheet structure (types and lengths) for fields used in
Site azarrralin grancyPLiOcity. LIstiNg pm mean, pemeen h ae, Mes la ete ht 36
Pee ecasdsvaluesion commodities and materials cies) 0. eee gu ee je 102
Peres OLALUS Tara tenG anne tau eNMe fale POMOC ns ah” Dapeviago. tae emo 104
BereAV DCeDLOpelty LyD c mem ees ern ae ee a eager Wd RAD ee A) Mii UEC Te 5 104
eA OLLO Rete ety 1 ta, RE ROR act MO TE TE A get Oo 104
EeeU LE CYC Serer eine ener trae rh ae iatr P en Amen rtert| Se NL Seke e oan Ue hie he hee Ph ye 105
EO Acidepotential’.s. (ire) 3) eek ek No BADR ep ilag 105
Eo? cia producers*or indicator minerals wy). Gees tke te WO eh i Ay 105
Bebe Neutralizing HOStTOCKS a). Ap meee ss OR OA Ihe el Bom on 106
iV
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS HANDBOOK
Units of Measure
centimeter mg/L milligram per liter
cm
cm/yr centimeter per year m meter
count per second min minute
foot mt metric ton
gallon per minute pet percent
inch sec second
cubic inch per gallon : degree of arc
kilometer
Acronyms
abandoned mine land(s)
ammonium nitrate and fuel oil
(U.S.) Bureau of Land Management
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act
Defense Minerals Exploration Administration
(U.S.) Department of Commerce
(U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency
global positioning system
Information Circular, U.S. Bureau of Mines
Internal Revenue Service
Minerals Availability System, U.S. Bureau of Mines
Mineral Industry Location System, U.S. Bureau of Mines
Mineral Land Assessment, U.S. Bureau of Mines
Mineral Property Files
Mineral Resource Data System, U.S. Geological Survey
Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
National Priorities List
open file report
public land survey
Report of Investigation, U.S. Bureau of Mines
total dissolved solids
U.S. Bureau of Mines, Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior
universal transverse mercator
War Minerals Report
ABANDONED MINE LAND INVENTORY AND
HAZARD EVALUATION HANDBOOK
By
Staff, U.S. Bureau of Mines
ABSTRACT
The purpose of an abandoned mine land (AML) inventory and investigation is to identify and assess
AML sites and associated hazards. This U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) handbook describes how to
develop and conduct such an inventory and assessment using a four-step process. The focus is on
hardrock sites. In the early part of the handbook and in Step I, specific things to consider during a
reconnaissance of an AML site are described, as are the data required to adequately assess a site. In Step
II, the environmental and physical hazards at each site on the AML inventory are initially assessed and
ranked according to potential risk to the environment and human health. Following a site investigation
involving the use of a standard data form (Step III), each site on the AML inventory is assigned a priority
ranking (Step IV) on which to base site characterization or hazard mitigation.
Major hazards that may be present on abandoned mine lands are discussed in two broad categories:
environmental and physical hazards. Envirormental hazards include toxic substances, heavy metals,
polychlorinated biphenyls, acids, petroleum products, asbestos, radioactive materials, sedimentation, and
dust. Physical hazards include abandoned explosives, unstable structures, mechanical equipment, scrap
materials, underground workings, open pits, highwalls, ditches, subsidence, waste piles, and
impoundments.
