Document ID: EPA-HQ-OECA-2003-0154-0012
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-12-10T05:00Z

The
background
papers
on
the
candidate
national
program
priorities
are
intended
to
initiate
further
discussion.
When
priorities
are
selected
more
detailed
strategies
with
in­
depth
background
information,
numerical
targets,
schedules,
milestones
and
performance
measures
will
be
developed.
______________________________________________________________________________

December,
2003
Page
1
of
3
Proposed
Priority:
Mineral
Processing
Universe
and
Types
of
Facilities
Evidence
gathered
in
recent
inspections
indicates
that
mineral
processing
facilities
are
failing
to
obtain
the
necessary
permits
and
adequately
manage
their
wastes.
EPA
has
found
that
the
mishandling
of
mineral
processing
wastes
has
caused
significant
environmental
damages
and
resulted
in
costly
cleanups.
These
highly
acidic
wastes
have
caused
fish
kills
and
the
arsenic
and
cadmium
that
these
wastes
often
contain
have
been
found
in
elevated
levels
in
residential
wells.
Mining
is
defined
simply
as
the
taking
of
minerals,
either
fuel
minerals
or
non­
fuel
minerals,
from
the
earth.
Non­
fuel
minerals
are
further
divided
into
metallic
and
nonmetallic
minerals.
SIC
code
14
includes
establishments
that
conduct
mining
and
quarrying
of
nonmetallic
minerals,
except
fuels;
and
those
engaged
primarily
in
mining
or
quarrying,
developing
mines,
or
exploring
for
nonfuel
nonmetallic
minerals.
The
metal
mining
industry
(
SIC
code
10)
includes
facilities
engaged
primarily
in
exploring
for
metallic
minerals,
developing
mines,
and
ore
mining.
Hardrock
mining
involves
uncovering
and
extracting
non­
fuel
metal
and
mineral
deposits
of
solid
ores
or
eroded
deposits
in
streambeds.

Large
companies
tend
to
dominate
mining
of
such
metals
as
copper,
silver,
and
gold,
while
more
diverse
mine
operators
may
be
involved
in
mining
lead,
zinc,
and
iron
metals.
According
to
USDA,
abandoned
mine
sites,
which
are
on
private,
state,
and
public
lands,
pose
significant
physical
and/
or
environmental
hazards.
Of
the
approximately
65,000
abandoned
sites
under
BLM's
jurisdiction,
the
agency
estimates
that
5%
may
have
CERCLA
or
water
quality
problems
and
about
25%
have
physical
safety
hazards.

Geographic
Range
Most
mining
for
base
and
precious
metals
occurs
in
the
western
US
while
mining
for
industrial
rocks
and
minerals
is
more
common
in
the
eastern
US.

Key
Pollutants
and
Risk
Factors
Mining
produces
significant
amounts
of
waste
and
byproducts,
ranging
from
10%
to
over
99.99%
of
the
total
material
mined.
Wastes
include
overburden
and
waste
rock,
which
are
primarily
disposed
of
in
piles
near
the
mine
site.
Waste
rock
dumps
are
generally
constructed
on
unlined
terrain,
with
underlying
soils
stripped,
graded,
or
compacted
depending
on
engineering
considerations.
Tailings,
also
a
common
mining
waste,
contain
a
mixture
of
impurities,
trace
metals,
and
residue
of
chemicals
used
in
the
beneficiation
process.
Tailings
usually
leave
the
mill
as
a
slurry
consisting
of
40­
70%
liquid
mill
effluent
and
30­
60%
solids;
liquids
are
commonly
reused
in
milling
processes.
While
most
mine
tailings
are
disposed
in
on­
site
impoundments,
some
tailings
are
dewatered
and
disposed
of
in
piles;
thus
minimizing
seepage
volumes
and
the
amount
The
background
papers
on
the
candidate
national
program
priorities
are
intended
to
initiate
further
discussion.
When
priorities
are
selected
more
detailed
strategies
with
in­
depth
background
information,
numerical
targets,
schedules,
milestones
and
performance
measures
will
be
developed.
______________________________________________________________________________

December,
2003
Page
2
of
3
of
land
required
for
an
impoundment.
Specific
types
of
environmental
impacts
include:

$
Acid
mine
drainage
(
AMD),
resulting
from
sulfide
oxidation
in
rocks
exposed
to
air
and
water,
can
pose
significant
threats
to
surface
and
groundwater
quality
and
resources
not
only
during
active
mining,
but
also
for
decades
after
operations
cease.
Abandoned
mines
and
refuse
piles
can
produce
AMD
for
over
50
years.
AMD
lowers
water
pH
making
it
unable
to
support
many
forms
of
aquatic
life;
carries
toxic,
metal­
bearing
sediment
into
streams,
killing
waterborne
plant
and
animal
species;
and
increases
disease
risks
for
humans
consuming
drinking
water
and
fish
tissue
with
a
heavy
metal
content.

$
Acid
leaching
operations
use
high
concentrations
of
acids
to
extract
metals
from
ore,
producing
large
volumes
of
metal­
bearing
acid
solutions.
Contamination
of
soil,
groundwater,
and
surface
water
is
caused
by
leakage,
spillage,
or
seepage
of
the
leaching
solution
at
various
stages
of
the
process.
Significant
risks
are
posed
to
human
health
due
to
metal
contamination.
Specifically,
children
living
near
abandoned
lead
and
zinc
mines
are
especially
at
risk
due
to
high
level
of
lead
found
in
their
blood.

$
Fugitive
Dust
Emissions:
Many
mining
operations
(
ore
crushing,
conveyance
of
crushed
ore,
loading
bins,
blasting,
mine
and
motor
vehicle
traffic,
waste
rock
piles,
windblown
tailings)
emit
particles
as
fugitive
dust.
This
dust
can
contain
arsenic,
lead,
and
other
toxic
heavy
metals,
and
can
be
deposited
in
surface
water,
causing
sedimentation
and
turbidity.

$
Erosion
and
Sedimentation:
Erosion
and
sedimentation
affect
surface
water
and
wetlands
more
than
any
other
media.
Erosion
can
also
adversely
affect
soil
organisms,
vegetation,
and
revegetation
efforts
because
it
results
in
the
movement
of
soil,
including
topsoil
and
nutrients,
from
one
location
to
another.

$
Cyanide
and
Other
Chemical
Releases:
Cyanide,
which
is
used
during
the
mining
of
gold
and
silver,
can
adversely
impact
water,
soil,
aquatic
organisms,
wildlife,
waterfowl,
and
humans.
Other
chemicals
(
oil,
petroleum
products,
solvents,
acids,
and
reagents)
used
during
the
beneficiation
process
or
in
vehicles
and
equipment
can
impact
human
health
and
the
environment
if
released.

$
Habitat
Modification:
Mining,
which
can
cause
large
disturbances
to
the
land,
affect
the
withdrawal
and
discharge
of
water,
manipulate
the
topography,
and
release
particulates
and
chemicals,
can
have
indirect
impacts
on
various
habitats.
The
background
papers
on
the
candidate
national
program
priorities
are
intended
to
initiate
further
discussion.
When
priorities
are
selected
more
detailed
strategies
with
in­
depth
background
information,
numerical
targets,
schedules,
milestones
and
performance
measures
will
be
developed.
______________________________________________________________________________

December,
2003
Page
3
of
3
$
Disruption
of
Surface
Water
and
Groundwater:
The
massive
quantities
of
water
necessary
for
mining
can
disrupt
surface
water
and
groundwater
flows,
and
result
in
drawdown.
Drawdown
reduces
the
water
available
for
recharging
wetlands
and
surface
waters,
thereby
affecting
any
organisms
that
depend
on
those
waters.
Water
that
percolates
through
waste
piles
and
tailings
can
become
contaminated
with
heavy
metals,
thus
contaminating
both
groundwater
and
surface
water.

$
Subsidence:
Mining
subsidence
is
the
surface
impact
of
collapsing
overlying
strata
into
mined­
out
voids,
creating
sinkholes
or
troughs.
Sinkholes
interrupt
surface
water
drainage
patterns,
affecting
ponds,
streams,
and
wetlands.

$
Aesthetics:
Most
mining
operations
cause
aesthetic
impacts,
including
large
land
disturbances
such
as
unnatural
anomalies
and
holes;
lack
of
vegetation;
and
impacted
wildlife
habitats.