Helena Joyce
Colorado has a long history of mining, with the gold rush in the late 1850s bringing an influx of people and mining operations to the region. However, most of Colorado's mineral mining activity predates the passing of current environmental regulations in the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, Colorado is now facing the issue of acid mine drainage from abandoned mines, which has the potential to pollute vital waterways and damage aquatic life and drinking water sources. The Gold King Mine spill in 2015, which released 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage into the Animas River, is a notable example of the impacts of acid mine drainage in Colorado. The contamination from acid mine drainage in the Colorado River Basin has persisted for decades and is likely to continue due to the complexity of the situation and the lack of funding for cleanup efforts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nature of pollutants | Heavy metals, toxic metals, arsenic, lead, pyrite, iron, sulfuric acid |
| Cause of pollutants | Mining activities, mineral extraction, chemical reactions |
| Impact | Polluted waterways, harm to aquatic life, tainted water supplies |
| Affected areas | Animas River, Cement Creek, San Juan River, Colorado River, Lefthand Creek, Clear Creek County, Peru Creek, Navajo Nation |
| Organizations involved | EPA, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment |
| Actions taken | Installation of drainage pipes, bulkheads, portable treatment systems, cleanup efforts, Superfund site designation |
| Challenges | Lack of funding, inflexible Superfund program, antiquated mining laws, uncertain land ownership |
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What You'll Learn
The 2015 Gold King Mine wastewater spill
The wastewater contained high levels of heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, arsenic, beryllium, zinc, iron, copper, aluminum, and calcium. These metals are toxic to the environment and can have harmful effects on aquatic life and ecosystems. The release of these metals into the water changed the colour of the river to an orange-brown, bringing national attention to the issue of hazardous mining in the San Juan Mountains.
In response to the spill, the EPA deployed a large response team to coordinate with affected states, tribes, and communities. The EPA's primary objectives included ensuring access to safe drinking water, implementing appropriate precautions for recreational use and contact with river water, evaluating impacts on aquatic life, and stopping the flow of contaminated water. The EPA also built a $1.5 million water treatment plant to treat acid mine drainage from the Gold King Mine, which began operation in October 2015. However, the EPA faced criticism for not warning Colorado and New Mexico about the operation until the day after the spill and for refusing to pay for damage claims filed after the accident.
The long-term impacts of the spill are still unknown, but it is believed that sedimentation will dilute the pollutants as the spill cloud moves downstream. By August 7, the waste had reached Aztec, New Mexico, and Farmington, the largest municipality affected. The heavy metals appeared to settle at the bottom of the river, and the remaining contaminants were expected to be diluted to a point where there would be no danger to users. The San Juan River, which was impacted by the spill, has historically received pollutants from several sources, including abandoned mines, and it is believed that the river has returned to pre-event conditions.
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Environmental impacts and pollution
Colorado has a long history of mining, with the gold rush in the late 1850s bringing an influx of people and mining operations to the region. Most of the state's mineral mining activity predates the passing of current environmental regulations in the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, Colorado is now facing the environmental impacts and pollution caused by acid mine drainage from abandoned mines.
Acid mine drainage occurs when subsurface mining exposes metal sulfide minerals such as pyrite to water and air. The chemical reaction forms sulfuric acid and dissolved iron, which causes the red, orange, or yellow sediments that can be seen in contaminated streams. This process can also leach metals from surrounding rock, and these dissolved metals can travel downstream, contaminating waterways and threatening drinking water supplies.
The environmental impacts of acid mine drainage in Colorado are significant. It is estimated that there are over 23,000 abandoned mines in the state, and 1,800 miles of streams are impaired due to pollutants related to acid mine drainage. This has led to the contamination of vital waterways, aquatic life, and drinking water sources. For example, the Animas River, near Silverton, Colorado, has been contaminated by extensive mining activities in the area for decades. Similarly, Peru Creek, near Keystone, Colorado, is contaminated by the Pennsylvania Mine and other sources within the watershed.
The impacts of acid mine drainage are not limited to Colorado alone. The 2015 Gold King Mine spill, caused by the accidental release of 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage, affected waterways in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and the Navajo Nation. The event drew attention to the issue of toxic drainage from abandoned mines across the country. Even today, many millions of gallons of polluted water flow from contaminated mining sites into surrounding streams and ponds without being treated, impacting aquatic life and tainting water supplies in multiple states.
Efforts have been made to address the environmental impacts and pollution caused by acid mine drainage in Colorado. The Colorado Water Plan, released in 2015, acknowledges the need to address water quality concerns as the state's population grows. Additionally, cleanup efforts have been undertaken at various sites, such as the installation of concrete bulkheads in the Pennsylvania Mine, which has led to improvements in water quality downstream. However, the complexity of the problem, including the lack of funding for cleanup and antiquated mining laws, presents significant challenges to finding long-term solutions.
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Abandoned mines and their legacy
Colorado has a long history of mining, with the gold rush in the late 1850s bringing an influx of people and mining operations to the region. Most of Colorado's mineral mining activity predates the passing of current environmental regulations in the 1970s and 1980s, and as a result, there are now many abandoned mines throughout the state.
An abandoned mine refers to a former mining or quarrying operation that is no longer in use and has no responsible entity to finance the remediation or restoration of the site. These sites are often left unattended and can pose significant hazards to health, safety, and the environment. For example, the 2015 Gold King Mine wastewater spill in Colorado was caused by the accidental release of toxic wastewater from an abandoned mine into the Animas River watershed. The spill turned the river orange and impacted waterways in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and the Navajo Nation.
Abandoned mines can cause a range of issues, from toxic waste spills to accidental deaths from falls down open mine shafts. They can also result in the pollution of local water sources through acid mine drainage. This occurs when subsurface mining exposes metal sulfide minerals to water and air, creating sulfuric acid that can leach metals from surrounding rock. The resulting dissolved metals can then travel downstream, contaminating water sources.
In response to the hazards posed by abandoned mines, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has implemented the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program, which aims to address the physical safety and environmental hazards associated with abandoned hard rock mines on BLM-managed public lands. The AML program identifies, measures, and reports on the progress of current reclamation cleanup programs annually. Additionally, the Western Governor's Association and the National Mining Association have launched the Abandoned Mine Land Initiative to focus on reporting the number of high-priority AML sites.
While most abandoned mines remain off-limits to the public due to safety concerns, some entrepreneurs have transformed a handful of these spaces into tourist attractions, offering subterranean zip lines, giant trampolines, and underground Ferris wheels.
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The role of the EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has played a significant role in addressing the issue of acid mine drainage in Colorado, particularly in the aftermath of the 2015 Gold King Mine wastewater spill. The EPA was already involved with the Gold King Mine prior to the spill, as the site was recognised as one of the worst acid mine drainage locations in the state. In 2014, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) requested the EPA to reopen and stabilise the Gold King 7 adit, due to concerns about the existing drainage system's insufficiency in preventing a blowout.
The EPA's role in the Gold King Mine spill has been a contentious issue. On the one hand, the agency was criticised for its failure to warn Colorado and New Mexico promptly about the operation, and for causing the release of toxic wastewater. The EPA has taken responsibility for the incident, but refused to pay for damages, claiming sovereign immunity. On the other hand, the EPA has also been actively involved in the cleanup efforts following the spill. The agency constructed a $1.5 million water treatment plant to treat acid mine drainage from the Gold King Mine, which began operating in October 2015. The EPA has also proposed an $10 million interim clean-up plan, although this has been met with criticism for not demonstrating tangible benefits.
In addition to its response to the Gold King Mine spill, the EPA has been involved in addressing acid mine drainage in Colorado more broadly. The agency has spent over $210 billion cleaning up the damage caused by acid runoff from the Summitville Mine. The EPA also collects and publishes data from acid mine drainage sites, including information on the 145 abandoned mine sites with actively discharging water in Colorado. This data was presented in a 2017 report by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
The EPA's role in Colorado's acid mine drainage issue is significant, as the state has a long history of mining, with much of its mineral mining activity predating current environmental regulations. The EPA's involvement in the Gold King Mine spill and other acid mine drainage sites demonstrates the complexity of addressing the environmental impacts of mining, particularly in terms of water pollution and contamination. The agency's efforts in cleanup and remediation highlight the ongoing challenges in managing the environmental legacy of mining in Colorado.
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Water quality and treatment
Water quality in Colorado has been affected by mining activities, which have increased the concentrations of heavy metals in water. The state's mineral mining activity largely predates the passing of current environmental regulations in the 1970s and 1980s. This has resulted in acid mine drainage (AMD), which has the potential to pollute waterways long after mineral extraction has ceased. AMD is caused by the chemical reaction of pyrite (an iron sulfide) with air and water, forming sulfuric acid and dissolved iron. This process can turn waterways red, orange, or yellow, and the acid can leach metals from surrounding rocks, which then travel downstream.
Colorado's San Juan Mountains, the site of the Gold King blowout, contribute an estimated 15 million gallons (57 million litres) of AMD per day. The Gold King Mine spill in 2015 was an environmental disaster, releasing 3 million gallons of AMD and toxic waste into the Animas River watershed. The EPA has acknowledged and released data from this incident, and the site has since been designated for cleanup.
The complexity of the problem is demonstrated by the various challenges to cleanup efforts, including a lack of funding, inflexibility within the Superfund program, the perpetual nature of AMD, antiquated mining laws, uncertain land ownership, and a lack of pre-mining data. These issues have resulted in a situation where millions of gallons of polluted water continue to pour daily from mine sites across the U.S., including Colorado.
Some treatments have been implemented with varying degrees of success. At Peru Creek, near Keystone, two concrete bulkheads were emplaced in the primary mine tunnel, leading to improved water quality downstream. At Big Five Tunnel, a portable treatment system was installed to process water from the bulkhead valve before it flows into Lefthand Creek, though this method is expensive. The Colorado Water Plan, released in 2015, acknowledges the need to address water quality concerns as the state's population grows. While advances in science and technology may provide effective options for stream remediation, the scale of the problem means it could persist for thousands of years.
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Frequently asked questions
Acid mine drainage is the process by which sulfide-rich minerals, such as pyrite, react with oxygen and water to form sulfuric acid. This sulfuric acid can then leach metals from surrounding host rock, and these dissolved metals can travel downstream.
Acid mine drainage has the potential to pollute vital waterways, harm aquatic life, and contaminate drinking water sources long after mineral extraction has ceased. In Colorado, it is estimated that there are over 1,800 miles of streams that are impaired due to pollutants related to acid mine drainage. The 2015 Gold King Mine spill, in which 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage were released, caused the Animas River to turn orange and resulted in litigation between Colorado and several other states.
The Colorado Water Plan, released by the state in 2015, acknowledges the issue of acid mine drainage and the need to address water quality concerns as the state's population grows. Efforts to clean up abandoned mine sites and improve water quality are ongoing, but the complexity of the problem, a lack of funding, and other factors present significant challenges.
