Animus River Pollution: Causes And Effects

The Animas River, which stretches 126 miles and is part of the Colorado River system, has been challenged by historic mining pollution, ash flows, and drought. In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accidentally released 3 million gallons of toxic wastewater containing high levels of radium and thorium into the river, turning it neon orange. This incident brought national attention to the issue of mining pollution and led to the declaration of a Superfund cleanup site. However, the river has a long history of pollution, with blowouts and daily contamination from mining for over a century. The EPA has made minimal progress in addressing the pollution, and the river continues to face new challenges, such as the impact of wildfires and drought.

Gold King Mine wastewater spill

On August 5, 2015, an Environmental Protection Agency crew ruptured a plug of rock and soil while using heavy equipment to access the Gold King Mine, located near Silverton, Colorado. This resulted in the release of approximately three million gallons of contaminated wastewater into Cement Creek, a tributary of the Animas River. The river turned a bright orange-brown colour due to the acid mine drainage, and the spill travelled downstream through Durango to the San Juan River and eventually reached Lake Powell.

The EPA took responsibility for the incident and committed to working with impacted local governments, states, and tribes to address the issue. Treatment ponds were constructed near the Gold King Mine to slow down the water flow, adjust the pH, and allow contaminants to settle before reaching the creek. The EPA also added the Bonita Peak Mining District, which includes the Gold King Mine, to the National Priorities List.

The Gold King Mine spill affected communities along the Animas and San Juan rivers, including the Navajo Nation. People were advised to have their water tested before using it for cooking, drinking, or bathing. The spill impacted farmers and ranchers who rely on the rivers and caused damage to crops, home gardens, and cattle herds. It also carried cultural significance as the waters of the Animas River are spiritually significant to the Navajo Nation.

The long-term impacts of the spill are unknown, but it is expected that sedimentation will dilute the pollutants as the spill cloud moves downstream. Studies of the waterway have shown that the spill had little to no long-term effect on the river, largely because it already contained high levels of heavy metals from thousands of old mines in the region. However, the spill highlighted the need for stronger regulations and better-designed mines to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Mining pollution

One of the most notable incidents of mining pollution in the Animas River occurred in 2015, when the Gold King Mine, an inactive gold mine located near Silverton, Colorado, spilled approximately 3 million gallons of toxic mining waste into the river. The spill was caused by contractors working for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cleanup team, who accidentally breached a tailings dam while attempting to drain ponded water near the mine's entrance. This resulted in the release of highly acidic wastewater containing heavy metals and other contaminants, turning the river a bright orange colour and affecting over 100 river miles downstream. The EPA faced heavy criticism and lawsuits in the aftermath, with the agency spending $29 million on cleanup efforts and claiming immunity from further compensation.

Prior to the 2015 spill, the Animas River had already been impacted by mining pollution for decades. Government scientists found that the river was polluted with chemical and radioactive materials, with samples downstream from a uranium mill showing radioactivity levels significantly higher than the maximum permissible concentration. This resulted in the contamination of drinking water and irrigation sources for nearby communities and farms, leading to the ingestion of radioactive materials by residents. Additionally, the river was devoid of aquatic life, such as fish and algae, for miles downstream due to the high levels of toxic metals and uranium pollution.

The Vanadium Corporation, which operated a mill near the river, was found to be violating laws and regulations regarding pollution. Despite public pressure, the company only vowed to build a treatment facility after the issue gained media attention. This highlights the challenges in enforcing environmental regulations and the potential for long-term ecological and health consequences when pollution goes unchecked.

The Animas River's pollution is not an isolated incident, as similar issues plague many rivers near former mining sites. Earthworks, an advocacy organisation, estimates that there are over 500,000 abandoned and inactive hardrock mines across the country, with a $50 billion price tag for their clean-up. The lack of strong regulations and properly designed mines allows mining companies to continue polluting water sources with little consequence. The impact of mining pollution on the Animas River serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved environmental protections and accountability in the mining industry.

Radioactive materials

The Animas River has a long history of pollution, with the waterway enduring the effects of mining since the 1860s. In 1942, the United States federal government purchased the remains of an old smelter in Durango, on the south side of the Animas River, and leased the site to the United States Vanadium Corporation, which milled uranium for the Manhattan Project. After World War II, Vanadium resumed milling uranium and producing yellowcake, dumping toxic chemicals directly into the river.

In 1959, Public Health Service officials launched a study, asking Farmington and Aztec schoolchildren to provide their baby teeth for analysis. However, there is no record of this study ever being completed, nor was any other epidemiological study conducted on the residents who consumed radioactive and poisonous food and water. Fearing public outcry and facing a drop in uranium prices, Vanadium closed the Durango mill in 1963 and moved its operations to New Mexico, where they took over the Kerr-McGee uranium mill on the banks of the San Juan River, on the Navajo Nation.

In 2015, the Animas River faced another environmental disaster when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inadvertently released over three million gallons of contaminated water from the abandoned Gold King Mine into Cement Creek, a tributary of the Animas River. The river turned an eerie orange colour, and downstream municipalities, including the Navajo Nation, stopped using the river for drinking water due to heavy metal contamination. The EPA accepted responsibility for the disaster and opened an interim water treatment plant to address the ongoing issue of contaminated water draining from the mine.

Toxic metals

The Animas River has been polluted by toxic metals from mining activities and waste disposal incidents. The river, which flows through the town of Durango in Colorado, has a long history of contamination, with reports of pollution dating back to the early days of the town's founding.

One of the major sources of toxic metal pollution in the Animas River is upstream metal-mining operations. The river has been affected by blowouts and everyday contamination from mining activities for over a century. Mining companies have discharged toxic waste and tailings, including heavy metals and radioactive materials, into the river. In 2015, the Gold King Mine waste water spill released three million gallons of toxic mining waste into the Animas River, turning the river bright orange and affecting over 100 river miles. This incident brought national attention to the issue of mining pollution in the Animas River and led to the declaration of a Superfund cleanup site in the area.

The toxic metals present in the Animas River include radium and thorium, among others. These metals can have significant ecological impacts. The river was found to be virtually devoid of "bottom fauna," such as aquatic insects, algae, and fish, for nearly 30 miles downstream from the pollution sources. The toxic metals also contaminated crops and water sources for humans and livestock, posing risks to public health and agricultural livelihoods.

The impact of toxic metal pollution in the Animas River has been long-lasting, and the river is still in recovery. Despite some cleanup efforts, the river continues to face challenges from mining pollution, ash flows from wildfires, and drought conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has faced criticism for its handling of pollution incidents and the slow progress of remediation efforts.

To address the issue of toxic metal pollution in the Animas River, stronger regulations and better mine designs are needed to prevent future contamination. The cleanup of abandoned mines and the implementation of Superfund designations are crucial steps in mitigating the impacts of historical pollution. Additionally, the involvement of local communities and nonprofit organizations in tracking the river's health and advocating for action is essential for driving change and holding responsible parties accountable.

Acidic raffinate

In August 2015, the Animas River was polluted by a spill of toxic waste water from the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. The spill was caused by contractors working for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cleanup team, who accidentally breached a tailings dam while attempting to drain ponded water near the mine's entrance. This resulted in the release of three million US gallons of mine waste water and tailings into the river, turning the river a bright orange colour.

The Animas River pollution incident was not an isolated event. The river has a history of contamination due to upstream metal-mining pollution and the presence of a uranium mill. In 1960, one of the evaporation ponds at the mill operated by Kerr-McGee broke, releasing at least 250,000 gallons of highly acidic raffinate containing high levels of radium and thorium into the river. This incident went unreported for five days, during which people continued to use the water for drinking, irrigation, and livestock, and hundreds of dead fish washed up along the river.

Raffinate is a term used in chemical separation to describe a product from which a component or components have been removed. Specifically, it refers to the liquid that remains after solutes from the original liquid are extracted using a solvent. In metallurgy, raffinating refers to the process of removing impurities from liquid material.

In the context of the Animas River pollution, the term "acidic raffinate" refers to the highly acidic liquid byproduct released from the mill's evaporation pond. This raffinate contained high levels of radium and thorium, making it extremely toxic and harmful to the environment. The release of acidic raffinate into the river had severe ecological consequences, including the death of aquatic life and the contamination of water sources used by nearby communities for drinking, irrigation, and livestock.

The acidic raffinate spill in the Animas River highlights the environmental risks associated with mining and the importance of proper waste management and regulatory oversight to prevent such incidents from occurring.

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