Exploratory work continues up Pine Creek
The Douglas Mine and Mill site up Pine Creek, is undergoing some exploratory work by crews who are putting together a comprehensive plan to remediate and cleanup the area from hazardous mine materials that remain in the soil.
Courtesy photo
PINE CREEK — Exploratory data collection has begun at the Douglas Mine and Mill site along the East Fork of Pine Creek.
Over the years the area has become a hot spot for outdoor recreationists who like to use the diverse terrain for activities like motorcycle and ATV riding, camping and target shooting.
Those activities seem innocent enough, but the presence of heavy metals in the soils makes this area a hotbed for contamination and pose potential risks due largely to the dust that they kick up, which contains contaminated particulate matter that can be inhaled and then settle in the lungs.
These contaminated are also located alongside the creek where they can dissolve and harm both the water quality, as well as the wildlife that inhabits the water or uses the creek as their primary water source.
The site, located just over 3 miles down the East Fork of Pine Creek, was discovered in 1898, but wasn’t a full production mine until 1916 and produced more than 100,000 tons of lead, zinc and silver ore.
Testing began in 2019, when the CDA Work Trust began sampling and testing at the site to learn just how much contamination existed.
Under the EPA’s direction, the crews have dug test pits, installed sampling wells and performed X-Ray diffraction surveys, which is what they will continue to do in the coming weeks.
The data that they collect will help them design a cleanup plan that will ensure that they protect people’s health, as well as the environment when they start their construction work in 2022.
The EPA would like to assure that it’s following safety regulations, including following COVID-19 guidelines.
“As we adjust to the evolving COVID-19 situation, EPA is making decisions about ongoing Superfund cleanup activity with the health and safety of communities, EPA staff, state and tribal partners, and contractors as top priority,” said Mark MacIntyre, EPA spokesperson. “EPA wants to stress that its ability to respond to environmental emergencies at Superfund sites, or any other environmental emergency where our assistance is sought by state, tribal or local partners, remains unaffected and undeterred.”
All of the test work should be completed by the end of July.