Source: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/charles-n-alpers
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 22:13:40+00:00

Document:
Since 1991, as a Research Chemist with USGS, Dr. Alpers has led numerous water-quality investigations involving the environmental effects of historical mining. This work has included research on acid mine drainage at the Iron Mountain Superfund site, including documentation of negative-pH water and associated sulfate minerals. Since 1999, he has been lead scientist for several multi-disciplinary studies regarding mercury contamination, transport, and bioaccumulation associated with historical gold mining in the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges of California. He is also investigating arsenic bioavailability and bioaccessibility in gold-mine waste at the Empire Mine in Grass Valley, California as part of a multi-disciplinary team involving USGS and non-USGS scientists.
The overarching theme of Dr. Alpers' research is the environmental geochemistry of metal contamination from historical mining. A secondary theme is the use of mineral deposits and areas contaminated by mining as laboratories for process-oriented research. His career has evolved from an emphasis on acid mine drainage (late 1980s to 2000) to an emphasis on mercury (since 2000) with growing interests in wetlands and arsenic.
Since 2009, Dr. Alpers has been Project Chief of the Cache Creek Settling Basin (CCSB) Mercury Project. The project's objectives are: (1) to measure mercury and methylmercury concentrations and compute loads for the inflow and outflows from CCSB, an area designed to trap sediment and keep it from entering the Yolo Bypass, and (2) to assess spatial and temporal trends in methylmercury formation and bioaccumulation within the CCSB as a function of land use and habitat. Sediment transported by Cache Creek is relatively high in mercury because of historical mercury mining and active hot and cold springs in the upper Cache Creek watershed. The project is funded by the California Department of Water Resources and the USGS Cooperative Water Program.
In cooperation with tne Nevada Irrigaion District, the California Department of Water Resources, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Dr. Alpers is Project Chief of an effort designed to quanitfy erosion rates from the inactive hydraulic mining pit within Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. The research team is using sediment "fingerprinting" techniques (mineralogy and geochemsitry) to investigate sources of fine-grained sediment that exit the pit through the Hiller Tunnel, causing impairment of downstream water bodies including Humbug Creek. Terrestrial lidar and intepretation of historical photographs are being used to quantify erosion rates.
Iron Mountain Mine is the largest mining-related Superfund (CERCLA) site in California. Dr. Alpers is the Project Chief of a USGS team that provides technical support to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since 2012, the USGS has investigated the mineralogy and biogeochemistry of iron-rich scale that forms in a pipe conveying acidic water to a lime-neutralization water treatment plant. Starting in 2016, the USGS is investigating copper transport and attenuation in lower Spring Creek, downstream of inputs from Iron Mountain and the treatment plant. Investigations are also continuing on sulfate minerals from the underground mine workings. Dr. Alpers is also collaborating with scientists from the University of California, Davis, who are investigating iron mineralogy and geochemistry at Iron Mountain as a Mars analogue, with funding from NASA.
112. Alpers, C.N., 2015, Arsenic and mercury contamination from historical gold mining in the Sierra Nevada, California: extended abstract, International Applied Geochemistry Symposium, Tucson, AZ, April 20-24, 2015.
106. Bowell, R., Alpers, C.N., Nordstrom, D.K., Jamieson, H.E., and Majzlan, J., 2014, The Environmental Geochemistry of Arsenic – An Overview, In: Bowell, R., Alpers, C.N., Jamieson, H.E., Nordstrom, D.K., and Majzlan, J. (eds.), Arsenic -- Environmental Geochemistry, Mineralogy, and Microbiology, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry v. 79, p 1-16.
103. Alpers, C.N., Myers, P., Millsap, D., and Regnier, T.B., 2014, Arsenic associated with historical gold mining in the Sierra Nevada: Case study and field trip guide for Empire Mine State Historic Park, California. In: Bowell, R., Alpers, C.N., Jamieson, H.E., Nordstrom, D.K., and Majzlan, J. (eds), Arsenic – Environmental Geochemistry, Mineralogy, and Microbiology, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry v. 79, p. 553-587.
74. Saiki, M.K., Martin, B.A., May, T.W., and Alpers, C.N., 2005, Total mercury concentrations in fillets of bluegill, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, and other fishes from Lake Natoma, Sacramento County, California: California Fish and Game, v. 91, no. 3, p. 193–206.
64. Snyder, N.P., Allen, J.R., Dare, C., Hampton, M.A., Schneider, G., Wooley, R.J., Alpers, C.N., and Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., 2004a, Sediment grain-size and loss-on-ignition analyses from 2002 Englebright Lake coring and sampling campaigns: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1080 http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1080/.
56. Alpers, C.N., Nordstrom, D.K., and Spitzley, J., 2003b, Extreme acid mine drainage from a pyritic massive sulfide deposit: The Iron Mountain end-member. In: Jambor, J.L., Blowes, D.W., and Ritchie, A.I.M., (eds.) Environmental Aspects of Mine Wastes. Mineralogical Association of Canada Short-Course v. 31, p. 407–430.
53. Roth, D.A., Taylor, H.E., Domgalaski, J., Dileanis, P., Peart, D.B., Antweiler, R.C., and Alpers, C.N., 2001, Distribution of inorganic mercury in Sacramento River water and suspended colloidal sediment material. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 40, no. 2, p. 161–172.
52. Parsons, M.B., Bird, D.K., Einaudi, M.T., and Alpers, C.N., 2001, Geochemical and mineralogical controls on trace element release from the Penn Mine base-metal slag dump. Applied Geochemistry, v. 16, p. 1567–1593.
51. Domagalski, J.L., Knifong, D.K., Dileanis, P.D., Brown, L.R., May, J.T., Alpers, C.N., and Connor, V., 2001, Water Quality in the Sacramento River Basin, California, 1995–98. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1215, 36 p.
50. Stoffregen, R.E., Alpers, C.N., and Jambor, J.L., 2000, Alunite-jarosite crystallography, thermodynamics, and geochronology, in Alpers, C.N., Jambor, J.L, and Nordstrom, D.K. (eds.), Sulfate Minerals: Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Washington, D.C., Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, v. 40, p. 453–479.
49. Seal II, R.R., Alpers, C.N., and Rye, R.O., 2000b, Stable isotope systematics of sulfate minerals, in Alpers, C.N., Jambor, J.L, and Nordstrom, D.K. (eds.), Sulfate Minerals: Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Washington, D.C., Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, v. 40, p. 541–602.
48. Seal II, R.R., Hammarstrom, J.M., Foley, N.K., and Alpers, C.N., 2000a, Geoenvironmental models for seafloor base- and precious-metal massive sulfide deposits: Tools for mitigation and remediation, in Proceedings, International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage 2000, May 21–24, 2000, Denver, Colo., Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., Littleton, Colo., p. 151–160.
47. Robbins, E.I., Rodgers, T.M., Alpers, C.N., and Nordstrom, D.K., 2000, Ecogeochemistry of the subsurface food web at pH 0-2.5 in Iron Mountain, California, USA: Hydrobiologia. v. 433, p. 15–23.
44. Marvin-DiPasquale, M.P., Agee, J., Alpers, C.N., and Hunerlach, M.P., 2000, Microbial mercury cycling in sediments associated with historic mining in California, in Proceedings, Workshop on Assessing and Managing Mercury from Historic and Current Mining Activities, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, November, 2000, San Francisco, CA., p. 63–67.
43. Jambor, J.L., Nordstrom, D.K., and Alpers, C.N., 2000, Metal-sulfate salts from sulfide mineral oxidation, in Alpers, C.N., Jambor, J.L, and Nordstrom, D.K. (eds.) Sulfate Minerals: Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Washington D.C., Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, v. 40, p. 303–350.
40. Cain, D.J., Carter, J.L., Fend, S.V., Luoma, S.N., Alpers, C.N., and Taylor, H.E., 2000, Metal exposure to a benthic macroinvertebrate, Hydropsyche californica, related to mine drainage in the Sacramento River: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 57, no. 2, p. 380–390.
38. Alpers, C.N., Jambor, J.L, and Nordstrom, D.K., 2000c, Preface, in Alpers, C.N., Jambor, J.L, and Nordstrom, D.K. (eds.), Sulfate Minerals: Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Washington D.C., Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, v. 40, p. iii–iv.
37. Alpers, C.N., Jambor, J.L, and Nordstrom, D.K. (eds.), 2000b, Sulfate Minerals: Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance. Mineralogical Society of America and The Geochemical Society, Washington, D.C., Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, v. 40, 608 p.
35. Alpers, C.N., and Nordstrom, D.K., 2000, Estimation of pre-mining conditions for trace metal mobility in mineralized areas: An overview, in Proceedings, International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage 2000, May 21–24, 2000, Denver, Colo., Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., Littleton, Colo., p. 463–472.
33. Nordstrom, D.K., Alpers, C.N., Coston, J.A., Taylor, H.E., McCleskey, R.B., Ball, J.W., Ogle, S., Cotsifas, J.S., and Davis, J.A., 1999, Geochemistry, toxicity, and sorption properties of contaminated sediments and pore waters from two reservoirs receiving mine drainage, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T. (eds.), U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program -- Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018A, p. 289–296.
31. Nordstrom, D.K., and Alpers, C.N., 1999a, Geochemistry of Acid Mine Waters, in Plumlee, G.S., and Logsdon, M.J. (eds.), The Environmental Geochemistry of Mineral Deposits. Part A. Processes, Methods, and Health Issues, Society of Economic Geologists, Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 6A, chapter 6, p. 133–160.
30. Jamieson, H.E, Alpers, C.N., Nordstrom, D.K., and Peterson, R.C., 1999, Substitution of zinc and other metals in iron-sulfate minerals at Iron Mountain, California: in Proceedings, Sudbury ‘99 — Mining and the Environment II, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
29. Hunerlach, M.P., Rytuba, J.J., and Alpers, C.N., 1999a, Mercury contamination from hydraulic placer-gold mining in the Dutch Flat mining district, California, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T. (eds.), U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program -- Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 179–189.
28. Church, S.E., Alpers, C.N., Vaughn, R.B., Briggs, P.H., and Slotton, D.G., 1999, Use of lead isotopes as natural tracers of metal contamination — A case study of the Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, California, in Plumlee, G.S., and Filipek, L. (eds.), The Environmental Geochemistry of Mineral Deposits. Part B. Case Studies, Society of Economic Geologists, Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 6B, chapter 30, p. 567–583.
27. Alpers, C.N., Hamlin, S.N., and Hunerlach, M.P., 1999, Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Acid Mine Drainage in Ground Water in the Vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, California: Summary Report, 1993-95. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4287, 59 p.
26. Alpers, C.N., and Nordstrom, D.K., 1999, Geochemical modeling of water-rock interactions in mining environments, in Plumlee, G.S., and Logsdon, M.J. (eds.), The Environmental Geochemistry of Mineral Deposits. Part A. Processes, Methods, and Health Issues, Society of Economic Geologists, Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 6A, chapter 14, p. 289–323.
25. Rye, R.O., and Alpers, C.N., 1997, The stable isotope geochemistry of jarosite: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-88, 28 p.
24. Hamlin, S.N., and Alpers, C.N., 1996, Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Acid Mine Drainage in Ground Water in the Vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County, California: Second-Year Summary, 1992-93: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4257, 44 p.
23. Nordstrom, D.K., and Alpers, C.N., 1995, Remedial investigations, decisions, and geochemical consequences at Iron Mountain Mine, California: Proceedings of Sudbury ‘95 - Mining and the Environment. Hynes, T.P., and Blanchette, M.C. (eds.), May 28 – June 1, 1995, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, CANMET, Ottawa. v. 2, p. 633–642.
22. Hamlin, S.N., and Alpers, C.N., 1995, Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Acid Mine Drainage in Ground Water in the Vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County, California: First-Year Summary: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4040, 45 p.
20. Alpers, C.N., Blowes, D.W., Nordstrom, D.K., and Jambor, J.L., 1994, Secondary Minerals and Acid Mine-Water Chemistry: In Environmental Geochemistry of Sulfide Mine-Wastes, Jambor, J.L., and Blowes, D.W. (eds.), Mineralogical Association of Canada, Short Course Notes, v. 22, Waterloo, Ontario, p. 247–270.
19. Alpers, C.N., Nordstrom, D.K., and Thompson, J.M., 1993, Seasonal variations in the Zn/Cu ratio of acid mine drainage from Iron Mountain, California: In Environmental Geochemistry of Sulfide Oxidation, Alpers, C.N., and Blowes, D.W. (eds.) ACS Symposium Series, v. 550, American Chemical Society: Washington D.C., p. 324–344.
18. Alpers, C.N., and Blowes, D.W., 1993b, Preface: In Environmental Geochemistry of Sulfide Oxidation, Alpers, C.N., and Blowes, D.W. (eds.), ACS Symposium Series, v. 550, American Chemical Society: Washington D.C., p. xii-xiv.
17. Alpers, C.N., and Blowes, D.W. (eds.), 1993a, Environmental Geochemistry of Sulfide Oxidation. ACS Symposium Series, v. 550, American Chemical Society: Washington D.C., 681 p.
16. Stoffregen, R.E. and Alpers, C.N., 1992, Observations on the cell dimensions, water contents and δD of natural and synthetic alunite: American Mineralogist, v. 77, p. 1092–1098.
15. Alpers, C.N., Rye, R.O., Nordstrom, D.K., White, L.D., and King, Bi-Shia, 1992b, Chemical, crystallographic, and isotopic properties of alunite and jarosite from acid hypersaline Australian lakes: Chemical Geology, v. 96, p. 203–226.
14. Alpers, C.N., Nordstrom, D.K., and Burchard, J.M., 1992a, Compilation and interpretation of water-quality and discharge data for acidic mine waters at Iron Mountain, Shasta County, California, 1940-91. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 91-4160, 173 p.
13. Alpers, C.N., and Nordstrom, D.K., 1991, Evolution of extremely acid mine waters at Iron Mountain, California: Are there any lower limits to pH?, in Proceedings, Second International Conference on the Abatement of Acidic Drainage, Montréal, Québec, Canada, September 16-18, 1991, MEND (Mine Environment Neutral Drainage): Ottawa, Canada, v. 2, p. 321–342.
12. Nordstrom, D.K., Burchard, J.M., and Alpers, C.N., 1990, The production and variability of acid mine drainage at Iron, Mountain, California: A Superfund site undergoing rehabilitation, in Acid Mine Drainage—Designing for Closure, J.W. Gadsby, J.A. Mallick, S.J. Day, eds., Bi-Tech Pub. Ltd.: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, p. 13–21.
11. Bussell, M.A., Alpers, C.N., Petersen, U., Shepherd, T.J., Bermudez, C., and Baxter, A.N., 1990, The Ag-Pb-Zn-Mn skarn, vein, and replacement deposits at Uchucchacua, Peru: studies of structure, mineralogy, metal zoning, Sr isotopes, and fluid inclusions: Economic Geology, v. 85, p. 1348–1383.
10. Alpers, C.N., Dettman, D., Lohmann, K.C., and Brabec, D., 1990a, Stable isotopes of carbon dioxide in soil gas over massive sulfide mineralization at Crandon, Wisconsin: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 38, p. 69–86.
9. Alpers, C.N., and Whittemore, D.O., 1990, Hydrogeochemistry and stable isotopes of ground and surface waters from two adjacent closed basins, Atacama Desert, northern Chile: Applied Geochemistry, v. 5, p. 719–734.
8. Alpers, C.N., and Nordstrom, D.K., 1990, Stoichiometry of mineral reactions from mass balance computations for acid mine waters, Iron Mountain, California, in Acid Mine Drainage— Designing for Closure, J.W. Gadsby, J.A. Mallick, S.J. Day, eds., Bi-Tech Pub. Ltd.: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, p. 23–33.
7. Alpers, C.N., Nordstrom, D.K., and Ball, J.W., 1989, Solubility of jarosite solid solutions precipitated from acid mine waters, Iron Mountain, California, U.S.A.: Sciences Géologiques, Bulletin, v. 42, p. 281–298.
6. Alpers, C.N., and Brimhall, G.H, 1989, Paleohydrologic evolution and geochemical dynamics of cumulative supergene metal enrichment at La Escondida, Atacama Desert, northern Chile: Economic Geology, v. 84, p. 229–255.
5. Alpers, C.N., and Brimhall, G.H, 1988, Middle Miocene climatic change in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile: Evidence from supergene mineralization at La Escondida: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 100, p. 1640–1646.
4. Stoffregen, R.E. and Alpers, C.N., 1987, Woodhouseite and svanbergite in hydrothermal ore deposits: Products of apatite destruction during advanced argillic alteration: Canadian Mineralogist, v. 45, p. 201–211.
3. Alpers, C.N., 1986, Geochemical and Geomorphological Dynamics of Supergene Copper Sulfide Ore Formation and Preservation at La Escondida, Antofagasta, Chile: Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 220 p.
2. Brimhall, G.H, Alpers, C.N., and Cunningham, A.B., 1985, Analysis of supergene ore‑forming processes and ground‑water solute transport using mass balance principles: Economic Geology, v. 80, p. 1227–1256.
1. Alpers, C.N., 1980, Mineralogy, Paragenesis, and Zoning of the Luz Vein, Uchucchacua District, Central Peru: Senior honors thesis, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 138 p.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Cache Creek Settling Basin (CCSB) in Yolo County.
The potential impacts of suction dredging on water quality remain largely undetermined, especially with regard to trace metals including Hg. Several State of California regulatory agencies have expressed concerns that suction dredging may cause deleterious impacts with regard to turbidity and Hg contamination in downstream areas.
Mercury (Hg), a legacy pollutant from mining of mercury deposits in the Coast Ranges as well as gold deposits in the Sierra Nevada, has contaminated surface waters throughout northern . Methylmercury (MeHg) is an organic form of Hg that bioaccumulates in food webs to elevated concentrations that threaten ecological health and human health through consumption of sport fish.
Dredging operations for gold along the American River began in the 1860s and continued through the early part of the 20th century, ending about 1962. More than one billion cubic yards of gravel were dredged, making the American River dredge field the second largest in California.
At its peak production, Iron Mountain ranked as the tenth largest copper production site in the world, sixth in the U.S. and first in California. During its operation, from 1879 - 1963, ten different mines throughout the site's 4,400 acres were the source of not just copper, but also silver, iron, gold, zinc and pyrite (iron sulfide).
Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Bowell, Robert J.; Campbell, Kate M.; Alpers, Charles N.
Nordstrom, D.K., Bowell, R.J., Campbell, K.M., and Alpers, C.N., in review, Challenges in recovering resources from acid mine drainage. Extended abstract for 13th International Mine Water Association Congress – “Mine Water & Circular Economy – A Green Congress”, to be held in Rauha, Lappeenranta, Finland, June 25-30, 2017.
Alpers, C.N., 2017, Arsenic and mercury contamination related to historical gold mining in the Sierra Nevada, California: Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis, v. 17, p. 92-100.
Alpers, C.N. (2017) Mercury. In: White, W.M. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Springer: Berlin, 6 p.
Williams, Amy J.; Alpers, Charles N.; Sumner, Dawn Y.; Campbell, Kate M.
Williams, A.J., Alpers, C.N., Sumner, D.Y., and Campbell, K.M., 2016, Filamentous Hydrous Ferric Oxide Biosignatures in a Pipeline Carrying Acid Mine Drainage at Iron Mountain Mine, California: Geomicrobiology Journal, 14 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2016.1155679.
Fleck, Jacob; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Lutz, Michelle A; Tate, Michael T.; Alpers, Charles N.; Hall, Britt D.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Eckley, Chris S.
Fleck, J.A.,Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Ackerman, J.T., Lutz, M.A., Tate, M., et al., 2016. Mercury and methylmercury in aquatic sediment across western North America. Sci. Total Environ. 727–738.
Obrist, Daniel; Pearson, Christopher; Webster, Jackson; Kane, Tyler J.; Lin, Che-Jen; Aiken, George R.; Alpers, Charles N.
Howle, J.F., Alpers, C.N., Bawden, G.W., and Bond, Sandra, 2016, Quantifying the eroded volume of mercury-contaminated sediment using terrestrial laser scanning at Stocking Flat, Deer Creek, Nevada County, California, 2010–13: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5179, 23 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155179.
Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Wiener, James G.; Eckley, Chris S.; Willacker, James J.; Evers, David C.; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Obrist, Daniel; Fleck, Jacob; Aiken, George R.; Lepak, Jesse M.; Jackson, Allyson K.; Webster, Jackson; Stewart, Robin; Davis, Jay; Alpers, Charles N.; Ackerman, Joshua T.
Eagles-Smith, C.A., Wiener, J.G., Eckley, C.S., Willacker Jr., J.J., Evers, D.C., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Obrist, D., Fleck, J.A., Aiken, G.R., Lepak, J.M., Jackson, A.K., Stewart, A.R., Webster, J., Davis, J.A., Alpers, C.N., Ackerman, J.T., 2016, Mercury in western North America- A synthesis of environmental contamination, fluxes, bioaccumulation and risk to fish and wildlife: Science of the Total Environment, p. 1213-1226, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.094.

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