In May 2005, EPA, Region 10, Office of Environmental Cleanup tasked Ecology & Environment, Inc., under START2 to conduct a removal assessment at the Black Butte Mine site in Lane County, Oregon. The Black Butte Mine site was brought to the attention of the EPA by the Oregon DEQ.
The Black Butte Mine is a former mercury mine located in southern Lane County, in the Coast Fork Willamette River basin. The site is located on the northeast flank of Black Butte. The primary features of the site include mine waste piles; a former mill structure containing a rotary kiln, mercury condenser, and ore storage/crushing equipment (new furnace area); another mill and furnace area (old ore furnace); several old dilapidated buildings; a system of unimproved roads; and some partially caved-in mine adits.
The Black Butte Mine was first operated in the late 1890s. The mine operated intermittently through the late 1960s, with peak production occurring during the period from 1927 to 1943.
START2 conducted removal assessment sampling activities at the Black Butte Mine site from September 7 through 11, 2005. Direct-push probing was used to collect mine waste/tailings/soil samples from the Main Tailings Pile, the Old Ore Furnace Area, and the New Furnace Area. All samples were analyzed for total mercury using an XRF and Lumex Mercury Analyzer. In addition, a subset of the samples was submitted to stationary laboratories for confirmation analysis of field results, SPLP analysis, and 5-step mercury speciation analysis.
The Dennis Creek Adit and 404 Adit were located. Sediment and water in the “404” Adit was sampled and analyzed for total mercury. The Dennis Creek Adit was dry and therefore was not sampled. Sediment and surface water were also sampled from Dennis Creek, Furnace Creek, and Garoutte Creek. These samples were analyzed for total mercury using a Lumex Mercury Analyzer. In addition, a subset of the samples was submitted to stationary laboratories for confirmation analysis of field results and for 5-step mercury speciation analysis.
