Gold King Mine

winners58

winners58

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Apr 4, 2013
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has been added to the National Priorities List, Not just the Gold King mine the whole mining district
Bonita Peak Mining District, 46 mines and two other tailing pile sites, the NPL doesn't assign liability but its coming.
wasn't there a bulkhead installed on the American tunnel to separate the upper workings from the gold king.
https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0802497

notice & documents; https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA-HQ-OLEM-2016-0152

news story; https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...rfund-pollution-sites/?utm_term=.f86f1a32264e
& http://www.coloradoindependent.com/...und-designation-priorities-list-mining-reform
 

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Can't click like as horrendous event in mining history unfolds as laws, rules, regulations and the REAL mining laws are used at tp by the radical eco anti mining industry.sic sic sic sad days -John :censored:
 

Wasn't the EPA responsible for the spill in the first place? I saw no mention of their part in the events that led to the spill in any of the articles. If memory serves me right, there was a working treatment program in place before the EPA showed up and started messing around with things they should have left alone. How does that old saying go? "If it's not broke....DON'T fix it!"
 

If memory serves the EPA pulled the cork out of the bottle.
New Mexico is suing the EPA over because of this judgement error.
The Navajo Nation is also involved in a suit.
 

Maybe this group Enthusiastically Polluting America should be on the sierra clubs radar.
 

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Pollution is often unseen and because of that it's hard to have an image. This release was very visible.
I still have that image of the river flowing poison.

With spills like this dilution is the solution. Probably most problem waste from mining was handled by
dumping in the nearest river in the past or walking away.
The Gold King Mine couldn't dump their waste in the river so it looks like they just plugged
the mine up. Maybe waiting for the Gov to fix it for them.Like burying garbage, out of sight, out of mind.

Mining is a messy business. But it wouldn't have to be. When it is messy, criticism and more regulation
effects all miners and prospectors.
 

hvacker said:
Pollution is often unseen and because of that it's hard to have an image. This release was very visible.
I still have that image of the river flowing poison.

With spills like this dilution is the solution. Probably most problem waste from mining was handled by
dumping in the nearest river in the past or walking away.
The Gold King Mine couldn't dump their waste in the river so it looks like they just plugged
the mine up. Maybe waiting for the Gov to fix it for them.Like burying garbage, out of sight, out of mind.

Mining is a messy business. But it wouldn't have to be. When it is messy, criticism and more regulation
effects all miners and prospectors.
Click to expand...

You might want to study the facts before you decide what the problem is. It wasn't miners or mining that caused the problems in Bonita Peak.

The EPA plugged the mine against the strong objections of the owner. The EPA flooded the mines in that area against the objections of the mine owners and mining engineers. The EPA opened the blocked portal and flooded the creek with iron stained water. No miner caused the spill.

There was little to no pollution released. The flow from the mines was originally remediated for many years by the maintenance of a limestone bed at the natural outflow. That's how miners do it. It was the BLM and the EPA who closed the outflow and shut down the treatment beds that were working well.

It's doubtful now that there was any pollution released. The iron stained water was not harmful to the active waterways it traveled. The other pollutants probably didn't exist. There were some very anomalous water quality readings during that episode and we now know why. The USGS testing lab has been falsifying results for more than 20 years. It seems they had an agenda and would provide the numbers required for any particular EPA result needed.

The Inspector General's report just released detailing the scam only covers the time since 2008 but this problem has been known to be ongoing for more than 2 decades. The lab was closed this year due to the fraud and now the U.S. doesn't have a reliable inorganic testing lab - if they ever did.

If any miners have had problems due to surprising water quality tests it would be wise to look deeper into the testing procedures and who was involved. The USGS lab is just the tip of the EPA/Green movement rejection of the rule of law in favor of results at any cost.

Heavy Pans
 

Good background Barry.

One addition, the limestone lined retention/treatment/spill-prevention ponds were removed by the BLM after a local rancher complained about cattle getting stuck/injured in them. Seems they should have just fenced em off.
 

Clay Diggins said:
You might want to study the facts before you decide what the problem is. It wasn't miners or mining that caused the problems in Bonita Peak.

The EPA plugged the mine against the strong objections of the owner. The EPA flooded the mines in that area against the objections of the mine owners and mining engineers. The EPA opened the blocked portal and flooded the creek with iron stained water. No miner caused the spill.

There was little to no pollution released. The flow from the mines was originally remediated for many years by the maintenance of a limestone bed at the natural outflow. That's how miners do it. It was the BLM and the EPA who closed the outflow and shut down the treatment beds that were working well.

It's doubtful now that there was any pollution released. The iron stained water was not harmful to the active waterways it traveled. The other pollutants probably didn't exist. There were some very anomalous water quality readings during that episode and we now know why. The USGS testing lab has been falsifying results for more than 20 years. It seems they had an agenda and would provide the numbers required for any particular EPA result needed.

The Inspector General's report just released detailing the scam only covers the time since 2008 but this problem has been known to be ongoing for more than 2 decades. The lab was closed this year due to the fraud and now the U.S. doesn't have a reliable inorganic testing lab - if they ever did.

If any miners have had problems due to surprising water quality tests it would be wise to look deeper into the testing procedures and who was involved. The USGS lab is just the tip of the EPA/Green movement rejection of the rule of law in favor of results at any cost.

Heavy Pans
Click to expand...

I'll second what Clay said here. I grew up in Western PA so Acid Mine Drainage was common place back there. The settling basins and limestone beds work just fine. 5 years after they were installed on a mine near a stream in the town I grew up in, there were trout living in the stream. And they DO NOT tolerate any kind of pollution. And here's another little tidbit that is very rarely mentioned. If there are crayfish living in the stream, then it is NOT polluted no matter what the tests say. Crayfish are VERY intolerant of any kind of pollution including high sediment levels.

AS for the USGS lab, yea, they are corrupt. My father in law sent in three water samples from the same source. One labeled ground water, one labeled spring water, and one labeled deep well. The ground water came back highly polluted, the spring water polluted, and the deep well was not polluted.
 

I've been lead to believe that the EPA does these sort of things so that they can just keep the cash cow rolling.. IMO its a pretty gross display of negligence on their part.
 

SunshineMiner said:
I've been lead to believe that the EPA does these sort of things so that they can just keep the cash cow rolling.. IMO its a pretty gross display of negligence on their part.
Click to expand...

Actually I believe this is and will continue to be done on purpose for a little longer. I think the EPA, Clinton, and Obama know that the next few elections are lost to them and they are trying to do as much damage as possible in the short time they have left.

Without mining, we, as a country, would wither and die rather quickly. So destroy mining anyway you can and you get to rebuild in another image. If the facts don't support you position, either twist them or pay someone enough to lie about the facts.

All of this is being saved so the next time there is a small release by a small miner, this can be referred back to as evidence in the court case. Same with sedimentation. IF there was no effect on the flora and fauna from a high level, acute exposure, then a small discharge is inconsequential. Much like the Army Corp of Engineers thoughts on a 4" or smaller dredge.

Like I said before, when you make a deal with the Devil to gain power, you had better be ready to pay his price when he calls it due. The power and relevance the EPA HAD is fading fast.
 

Supposedly there is a way to clean the water with a "high area cathode". You make a long mop head out of carbon fiber encased in a plastic pipe. Add a small platinum electrode. Supply a voltage, and reverse electroplate the water.Takes all the metals out of the water. You have to have a degree of intelligence to make it work. This makes it impractical for the government to implement.
 

Much respect MM as it doesn't matter how long ago as deed done. I spent 3 1/2 years as a volunteer firemen in Dayton Nevada and saw an ungodly amount of danger from them old mobiles,exploding propane tanks and fire runs through that sagebrush like a freight train. MUCH respect to anyone anywhere who has played with fire as deadly game whose effects on your body and mind may be felt many years later-aka 911 heroes who are still dying like flies every year:BangHead: RIP as all heros-John
 

Indeed Hoser! And the Forests of PA are no Joke! Theres a reason its called Penns Woods! Lotta steep terrain there too. I've driven through many times. Just finished(not by choice) 3 years with CAL Fire. Hoping to hop back into it next season. We'll see what the Lord has planned.
 

4 years on the line crews, 6 years helitack, and 4 years as an engine boss. Had to give it up because my body was giving up on me.

Back on topic here. The thing that IRRITATES me the most about the Gold King disaster is the fact that if the EPA had asked the miners for help they would have gotten it. Yet they plodded on without it, caused a major disaster, and seem to be getting away with blaming the miners for their mistakes.
 

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