Ely Copper Mine - Term Paper Example

RUNNING HEAD: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Ely Copper Mine Ely Copper Mine Ely Copper Mine Superfund site is located in a rural area on the Beanville Road, Vershire, Orange County, VT, in the watershed of Schoolhouse Brook. Schoolhouse Brook is a tributary of the Ompompanoosuc River. The West branch of Ompompanoosuc River includes the Elizabeth Mine Superfund site, south of Ely site. The site encompasses an approximate of 730 hectares of which 110 to 140 were used for mining activities. (Abbott, 1973) Ely Copper Mine Superfund site is the area downstream that is impacted by The Ely Mine. This mine was operational since the 1821 to 1905. The site was then placed on the National Priority list in the year 2001. The mine comprises of underground workings, several waste-rock piles, and foundations from historical structures, slag piles from the smelting and roast beds that are associated with smelting operation. The draining of the mine is done by Ely Brook which includes several tributaries. Each of the tributaries drains a series of six ponds. The Ely Brooks empties into Schoolhouse Brook which flows for 3.3 kilometers and joins the Ompompanoosuc River. (Buerger, 1935) Several approaches were used to assess the aquatic ecosystem at the site to investigate surface-water quality, various ecological stream-ecosystem health indicators and sediment quality. The degradation of surface water quality has copper domination with iron, zinc, cadmium and aluminum localized effects. The chronic Water quality criteria for copper are exceeded in the surface water of four among the six ponds on the Ely Brook tributary and in the whole system. In the comparison of hardness-based and biotic Ligand Model-Based water quality criteria for copper yields, similar results were found with respect to the extent of impairment. However there was a lower result on the Biotic Ligand Model criteria than the hardness based criteria. This is a clear indicator of greater degree of impairment, especially in the Ely Brook watershed. In this shades, the dissolved organic carbon concentrations and PH values were lower. The testing of the surface-water toxicity correlated strongly with the extent of the impact. Similarly, the biotic integrity index integrity for the fish community in the Schoolhouse Brook and the Ompompanoosuc River degraded habitats throughout the system down the Ompompanoosuc River. (Crawford & Luoma, 1993) On the environmental sediments, similar extend of impairment are shown which is dominated by Copper. There is also localized degradation as a result of chromium, nickel, zinc and lead is evident on the documents with the basis of probable effects concentrations. There is a contrast in the equilibrium-partitioning sediment benchmarks. They indicate no toxic effects expected in the sediments at the reference sites but uncertain toxic effects throughout the Ely Brook and the schoolhouse Brook except in the reference sites and EB-600M site. The results from the EB-600M indicated toxic effects prediction. Acute toxicity test of the in situ pore waters by using Hyalella azteca are indicating several impacts in Ely Brook reaching 100 percent lethality at site EB-90M. Acute testing of the in situ pore water using Chronomus dilutes shows similar results but with severe toxicity. None of the sets of in situ power water toxicity testing showed a significant impairment in Schoolhouse Brook ort in the Ompompanoosuc River. Another test done is through the chronic sediment toxicity using Hyalella Azteca. This test indicates significant toxicity in Ely Brook, except at site EB-90M and in Schoolhouse Brook. (Fuller & Harvey, 2000)The low toxicity of EB-90M may be as a result of reflection of the low liability of the copper in the sediment as indicated by low proportions of extractable copper. Generally, the information can be used to develop an overall assessment of the impact on the aquatic system. The system appears to be as a result of acidic rock drainage at the Ely Mine. The results indicate that more than 700 meters of Ely Brook with the inclusion of two of the six ponds, were found to have severely impacted on water-quality data and biological assessment basis. The location had good quality of water and biological assessments but just a distance meter from the schoolhouse, there are severely impacted quality. The biological community recovers near the confluence with the Ompompanoosuc River. There is less conclusive evidence though, regarding the Ompompanoosuc River. The sediment data suggest that the sediment could be a source of toxicity in Ely Brook and Schoolhouse Brook. (Mcsurdy, Dvorack, & Cooper, 1995) The surface-water assessment was found consistent with the outcome of the surface-water toxicity testing program performed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for Ely Brook and Schoolhouse Brook and the program testing of surface-water toxicity and the in situ amphibian testing for the ponds. The environmental evaluation requires the analysis of main characteristics in determining the degradation impact on the aquatic system. The analysis revolves around; characterizing water and sediment quality and the biological qualities of the communities for water bodies in the Ely Mine area. Compare and contrast surface water, sediment trace-element concentrations and pore water. Relate trace element concentration to aquatic invertebrates and fish assemblages. And also to evaluate the toxicity of sediment, surface water and pore water. These are vital in the determination and understanding of the relationship among the chemical, biological and physical components of waterways that are affected by the acid-mine drainage. It is essential to get the physical characteristics of the water bodies in the Ely Mine area. ; chemical analysis for surface water, sediments and pore water; toxicity testing of surface waters, bulk sediment and pore water and the biological analysis of aquatic macroinvertabrate and fish assemblages. (T.W.Offield, Slack, & Wittinbrink, 1993) The hydrologic data are used to determine the error associated with the stream flow measurement made by the current-meter method in the Ompompanoosuc Rive r and the schoolhouse Brook. The surface water data is used for discrete measurement in determining specific concordance, PH and water temperature. Pore water data is used to sample sediments with minimal disturbance to the site to monitor the chemical differences between surface water and pore water. This is vital in identifying the presence of drawdown and analyzes major ions and traces the elements. Sediment data are used for tracing elements, extractable metal-acids volatile sulfide, total organic carbon and carbon exchange capacity in pore water locations. Macroinvertabrate data is helpful in the characterization of the nature and extent of acid-mine drainage within the aquatic system. Sediment is collected in area of deposition that coincides with the pore-water sampling locations. (Rantz & Others, 1982)Fish assemblage data are collected by electrofishing with a backup unit associated with each of the water-chemistry sampling location for analyzing trace elements. Ely Brook has a total drainage area of 1.11km squared. The streams reach an approximate of 1,500m and a range in altitude from approximately 296 to 383 m. the surficial geology of the basin is predominantly till. The geomorphic characterization of a stream segment from the river found the geomorphic channel units of approximately 45 percent riffle, 42 percent run and 13 percent pool. Ely Brook is characterized as a small high-gradient stream based on the stream classifications that are used in the bio assessment protocol development for invertebrate’s assemblages and fish. Acidic-mine drainage occurs when sulfide-bearing waste rock and tailing come in contact with water containing oxygen that is dissolved. The resultant oxidation reactions release associate metals and acidity, which may impact the biological community and lower the PH of downstream waterways significantly. The released metals that are transported downstream may be removed from the solution through precipitation and sorption onto iron and manganese hydroxides. (Suter, 1996)The attenuation of metals has been attributed to precipitation and sorption within the hyporheic zone as contaminated waters filtrate and mix with shallow groundwater. The waste rock and tailings Ely Mine site have similar mineralogy and leach comparable metal concentrations and acidity to those that were observed at Elizabeth and Pike Hill mines. The weathering of mine wastage produces concentrations of metals in downstream waterways that are greater than those allowed by USEPA acute and chronic standards. Surface water samples reveal greater concentrations than AWQC observed for 15 elements. The elements that were found are Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Mn, Se, Ni, Zn, U and Ag. These results are similar to those of other mining sites that have high pollutions. The bulk geochemistry of Ely Mine comprises of Fe, Al, S, K, and Ca. The trace elements comprises of Cu, Mn, U, Ba, Co, Mo, Pb, Sr, Cr, and Zn on a mass basis. In determining the biological assemblages, Ely Brook, Ely Ponds and Schoolhouse were found to have a high concentration of metals in the surface-water that are correlated with the QMH, fish sample and RTH. (Vertmont Depertment of Environmental Conservation , 2004)The metal concentration in the pore-water samples was most strongly concentrated with the DTH samples. The value for correlations of in situ pore water, sediment metal and surface water concentrations with the total riches for invertebrates and the IBI score for fish. The biological data relate a particular biological assemblage with the metal concentrations that is most directly associated with the assemblage. Ely Brook has four tributaries that flow into it from the east and come into contact with mine waste or the drain mine shafts. In determination of the significant differences in water chemistry based on the previous data, each tributary was analyzed individually. There was huge difference in terms of pollution that was determined in the tributaries. Generally the chemical properties of the tributaries displayed a systematical degradation moving down the stream from the ponds. The PH also dropped drastically and the specific conductance concomitantly increased. Calcium was the dominant dissolved cation that increased and occurred in subsequent proportions. They were also lowest in reference to the site. Hardness value also increased in equivalent portions in relation to that in the pond. (Wilde & ed., 1998) Iron, aluminum and manganese showed crude increase from the ponds down the stream. The dissolved irons also increased down the stream with reference to the ponds. The dissolve concentration of minor and trace elements that typify the Ely mine deposit generally increased through the ponds. The concentration of all other minor and trace elements tended to be low when nearing their respective detection limit. Dissolve concentrations were at their lowest detection limits. Pore water in Ely Brook, the streams experienced the concentration of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu that exceeded the AWQCs in all ways. Further upstream, the concentration of Ba, Cu and Cd in all pore water exceeded their AWQC in all the streams. Other exceedances in the stream reach included: Al in the CENTRIFUGED eb-600m AND Co and Mn from the equilibrant and centrifuge of EB-770M. The concentration for most elements in pore water s was less of background site than the AWQC with the exception of Al and Cd. The sediment samples from Ely Brook depicted a general concentration of Fe that increased downstream while the concentrations of Al, K, Ca, Na and Mg decreased. The variation in Fe concentrations was the greatest and highest percentage. The sulfur also increased at a greater percentage. Carbon monoxide concentration was low and had a low weigh of carbon percentage. In contrast, total organic was significantly higher than carbonate carbon and the organic carbon was also considerably higher at weight percentage. In the relation among trace elements in surface water, pore water, aquatic biota and sediment, the His at the background location were less than for the surface water and greater than for the pore water and sediment. However there was no HQ that was greater than 1 that was observed in pore water or sediments. His below the confluence with Ely Brook tributaries were greater than 1 for all the samples and had a higher range in surface water, sediments and pore water. Ely Brook site indicates a severe impairment below the reference location in the evaluation of the RTH and DTH invertebrate. The RTH abundance increased, and the RTH richness decreases. There is also a decrease in the values of the two metrics that are closely associated with the increase in HIs. The RTH and the DTH invertebrate assemblages in Ely Brook were strongly affected by acid-mine drainage and the level of contamination in the respective surface or pore water is a relevant environmental factor in the response. The health of the aquatic ecosystem surrounding the Ely Mine Superfund site is dominated by streams of moderate alkalinity and hardness that become impacted from the influx of acid-mine drainage in and around the mine waste piles. This was the followed by progressive dilution by larger streams of moderate alkalinity and hardness downstream of the site. The surface water in Ely Brook and its tributaries in Ely pond start with neutral PH with low specific conductance, low hardness, moderate alkalinity and low DOC. Ely Brook have a modest variation in PH that increase in specific concordance to reaching the area of the mine waste piles and before confluence to the tributaries that drains the ponds. Through the same reach, the alkalinity decreases and the dissolved surface concentration increases modestly. This affects the quality of the surface water in the aquatic system beyond the environmental limitations. Generally, the waterways were impaired by acid-mine drainage from the Ely mine site. The values of invertebrate abundance and richness were very high especially on those that were located above acidic rock drainage inflow for all the waterways. Fish IBI score had the same trend except in the Ompompanoosuc river, where there is a high reference-site IBI score. The extent of the impairment to invertebrate and fish appeared to be related to the HI values that are derived from the surface water and pore water. Ely Mine has contaminated surface water and sediments that have strong acidity and metals which leads to toxic effects on fish and benthic invertebrates. The metal concentration in surface waters and metal concentrations , pore water and sediment indicate that toxicity risk downstream the Ely Mine site are driven primarily by high copper concentrations in all media. However, other metals may have contributed locally to the toxicity. In terms of surface water, there are no differences in the reaches exceeding acute and chronic water quality criteria. In summary, the aquatic ecosystem at the site experienced the degradation of surface-water quality that is dominated by Cu with localized degradation that is caused by Fe, Al, Cd and Zn. the chronic water-quality criteria for copper are exceeded by the ponds in the Ely Brook tributaries. The riffle-habitat benthic invertebrate richness shows a lower value in PH and carbon concentration. The sediment environment shows similar extent of impairment by copper. The degradation of surface-water quality, particularly from copper, appears to be the dominant cause of toxicity at the site. Sediment quality is also less uniformly affected especially in the downstream of Ely brook; however, copper also dominates as the contaminant of concern in this medium. Ely copper mine has affected the aquatic environment within the site and its greater destruction has affected the water inhabitants downstream. The contamination by the waste mine affects human ecosystem by deposition of debris that produce chemicals which reacts with the environmental gases resulting to toxic gasses that affects human health. The excessive contamination of water by the minerals makes it unhealthy for human consumption. This is because of the elements that are concentrated in the water, which are not of any requirements to the body in relation to their formation and state. References Abbott, C. (1973). Greem Mountain Copper:The story of vertmount red metal. Thetford: Thetford historical society. Buerger, N. (1935). The copper ores of Orange county,. Vermont: Economic Geology. Crawford, J., & Luoma, S. N. (1993). giudlines for studies of contaminants in biological tissues for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. United States: U.S. geological survey. Fuller, C., & Harvey, J. (2000). Reactive uptake of trace metal in the hyporheic zone of a mining contaminated stream. Arizona: Pinal Creek. Mcsurdy, S., Dvorack, D., & Cooper, A. (1995). ely mine site report of activities: experimental passive mine water treatment system. Pittsburg: U.S Bureau of mines. Rantz, S., & Others. (1982). Measurement and Computation of Streamflow: Measurement stage and Discharge. United States: U.S Geological Survey Water-Supply paper. Suter, G. (1996). Toxicologocal Benchmarks for screening contaminants of potential concern for effects on fresh water biota: Environmental toxology and chemistry. T.W.Offield, Slack, J., & Wittinbrink, S. (1993). Structure and Origin of Ely deposit. Vermont: U.S. Geological survey bulletin. Vertmont Depertment of Environmental Conservation . (2004, April). Retrieved from Biocreteria for Fish and Microinvertebrates assemblage: www.vtwaterquality.org Wilde, F., & ed., D. R. (1998). Field Measurements: U.S Geological Survey Techniques of Water Resource Investigation. United States. Read More