Danny Manriquez

GEOG 4020

Transcript

Introduction:

Hello ladies and gentlemen; My name is danny manriquez and my topic is about the gold
king mine spill that happened near Silverton in 2015. This presentation will cover the main
details of the disaster along with some correlating images and data tables that are linked to
the incident. This presentation is not intended to be an exhaustive effort to cover all of the
specifics, but rather a synopsis of the disaster. This presentation includes eight images
along with a data table to facillitate understanding of the Gold King Mine spill.

PAUSE

The Gold King Mine spill produced three million gallons of acid mine drainage or 440, 000
kilograms of heavy metals into Cement Creek, which is a tributary of the Animas
watershed, before finally flushing into the Animas River itself. Acid mine drainage at the
Gold King Mine had been going on for quite some time, but this incident is historic as there
was upwards of 600 gallons per minute rushing into cement creek during peak outburst.

PAUSE move to slide 2

Background:

But the question is, how exactly did this happen. Well, on August 5th, 2015 the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, also known as the EPA, in consultation with the
Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining Safety, also known as DRMS, conducted an
investigation at the Gold King Mine to assess the on-going water releases from the mine,
treat mine water, and the feasibility of further mine remediation.

PAUSE move to slide 3

During this time, what was thought to be a routine excavation of collapsed material and
backfill around the portal of the mine resulted in a blowout that eroded soil and rock debris
from the mine portal, eroded pyritic-brown rock and soil from the adjoining waste-rock
dump, and eroded road-embankment frill from several downstream unpaved road stream
crossings.

PAUSE move to slide 4

The EPA and DRMS had miscalculated the level of water within the mine. Initially they had
predicted that the mine was not completely full of toxic waste, or even close to it, so the
excavation along with the pressure from the interior of the mine produced a blowout much
like a cork would do in a highly pressurized bottle except the cork in this case was the
collapsed rock and the backfill added previously in 2009. This natural cork was meant to
retain the acidic water inside the mine so that ponds could be built and a controlled
treatment of the toxic water could take place.

PAUSE move to slide 5, 6, 7

Instead, the blowout released all of the acidic material within the mine along with the
surrounding rock debris and backfill into Cement Creek and finally into the Animas River.
The original intent of this project by the EPA and DRMS was for the interior environment of
the mine to be controlled much like remediation efforts of other drained mines, but as we
know this situation didnt quite play out as planned. The heavy amounts of iron-
oxyhydroxide bonded to other heavy metals in the mine, which spilled into the watershed,
resulting in that orangeish-brown color seen in these images. Of course the heavy amounts
of clay that were already present in the collapsed rock and backfill also added to the change
in water color. The images in these slides of the blowout show just how bad the
contamination to the watershed actually was. In a much simplified version, heavy metals
that were produced from mining activity bonded to other elements within the water and
rested within the riverbed sediment, where they affected the PH balance of the water and
soil. The reduced PH is disastrous for aquatic life that requires more alkaline conditions.
The potential for acid rain is greatly increased under these circumstances because water
has to evaporate. Periods of low flow allowed for the deposition of heavy metals such as
zinc, copper, lead, aluminum, iron, manganese, arsenic, and sulphur into the sediment
while the periods of high flow transported much of these heavy metals further down
stream, where New Mexico, Arizona and even Utah became effected by the spillage roughly
a few days to a week later.

PAUSE move to slide 8

After the blowout, the Animas river was closed to the public and anyone with a well was
told to have their water tested before drinking and cooking with it. Pets and farm animals
were not allowed to come in contact with the river as it could prove fatal. Basically all
contact with the Animas River was ceased in fear of further contamination.

PAUSE move to slide 9

Water treatment ponds were built to deal with the acid mine drainage and sludge that
poured from the mine. Once the flow of acid mine drainage was controlled through various
means, the ponds were removed and stabilization of the mine was under way. Wire mesh
and rock bolts were set up around the entrance to the mine and flow-limiting pipes were
installed in order to protect from another potential blowout.

PAUSE move to slide 10

PAUSE move to slide 11

The remediation efforts have been relatively successful, as the color of the water has
returned to pre-blowout conditions. The deposition of heavy metals within the river
sediment has also decreased, but still remain at relatively high levels. The following table
shows the surface water contamination from October, 2015 until April, 2016 at the four
sampling sites.

So the plan to clean up the contamination of heavy metals in the surface water and
sediment has been to do so naturally through river flow, which has worked somewhat.
Heavy metals within the four sites that were tested by the EPA have seen a reduction
throughout the year after the incident. Remember, this table is from 2015 to 2016, but
given the fact that there have not been any new incidents after the initial Gold King Mine
spill it is relatively safe to say that remediation has been successful. If you analyze the table
under the metals section you can see that concentrations have decreased over the year
following the blowout.

PAUSE move to slide 12

And that about wraps it up for my presentation. I would like to thank anyone and everyone
that decided to listen to this presentation. I look forward to any constructive criticism and
future recommendations for the final report.

Thank you!
Sample sites
CEM49 Cement Creek at the mouth of the Animas
82 Animas River near Silverton
81 Animas River Above Durango (Bakers Bridge)
9423A Animas River at Durango 9th St Bridge