Field and Laboratory data of pipe scale forming in acid mine drainage pipelines at Iron Mountain and Leviathan Mines, California
Data from pipelines from 2012-2015, includes water chemistry of the acid mine drainage, mineralogy of pipe scale (by X-ray diffraction and chemical extractions), and laboratory experiment results. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Geochemical Characterization of Mine Waste, Mine Drainage, and Stream Sediments at the Pike Hill Copper Mine Superfund Site, Orange County, Vermont: U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Sampling procedures, analytical methodologies, and results to assess the potential for mine waste and drainage to have an adverse impact on aquatic ecosystems, on drinking- water supplies, and to human health |
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Geochemical characterization of drainage prior to reclamation at the abandoned Valzinco mine, Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Geochemical analysis of water samples to provide a pre-reclamation assessment of seasonal variations of acid and metal concentrations in Knight's Branch help evaluate the reclamation project. |
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Aquatic assessment of the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site, Vershire, Vermont
A wide variety of geochemical analyses show strong local impact on water quality in this area of historical copper mining. |
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Characterization of Geologic Structures and Host Rock Properties Relevant to the Hydrogeology of the Standard Mine in Elk Basin, Gunnison County, Colorado
Geological and borehole geophysical data and observations collected to characterize the basin and its surface and groundwater flow systems with primary focus on the physical characteristics of the fault vein, related mine workings, and surrounding bedrock |
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Characterization of mine waste at the Elizabeth copper mine, Orange County, Vermont
Preliminary information about the concentration, spatial distribution and mineral hosting of metals and other elements in solid materials at the Elizabeth copper mine after 50 years (or more) of weathering and oxidation. |
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Chemical data for rock, sediment, biological, precipitate, and water samples from abandoned copper mines in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Report containing tables of geochemical data |
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Environmental (hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur) stable isotope data from the Elizabeth copper mine Superfund site, Vermont, USA
Stable hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur isotope data were collected from surface water, groundwater, and bulk mill tailings samples at this mine in South Strafford, Vermont. Where available, supporting data for water samples include discharge, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved sulfate concentration. The water samples span a time period from August 1998 to October 2009. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Environmental Considerations Related to Mining of Nonfuel Minerals
A key aspect of identifying and mitigating environmental risks of mining is understanding how they vary from one deposit type to another—a concept that forms the basis for geoenvironmental mineral-deposit models. |
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Environmental impact of the Contact and Sonoma mercury mines on water, sediment, and biota in Anna Belcher and Little Sulphur Creek watersheds, Sonoma County, California
Data from field sampling of tailings, waste rock, sediment, and water at the mines, along with water, sediment, and biota in a pond and tributaries that drain from the mine area, to help assess the chemical hazards due to historic mining. |
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Environmental impact of the Helen, Research, and Chicago mercury mines on water, sediment, and biota in the Upper Dry Creek watershed, Lake County, California
Data from field sampling of tailings, waste rock, sediment, and water at the mines, along with water, sediment, and biota in a pond and tributaries that drain from the mine area, to help assess the chemical hazards due to historic mining. |
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Geochemical and mineralogical characterization of the abandoned Valzinco (lead-zinc) and Mitchell (gold) mine sites prior to reclamation, Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Geochemical data for all solid sample media, along with mineralogical data, and results of weathering experiments on Valzinco tailings and field experiments on sediment accumulation in Knights Branch. |
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Geochemical characterization of mine waste at the Ely Copper Mine superfund site, Orange County, Vermont
An environmental impact study is done for the abandoned Ely copper mine. The extent of contamination is studyed along with the type and chemical composition of the mine waste piles. |
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Geochemical data from waters in Prospect Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado, that span pre- and post-Lark Mine remediation
Water samples near this abandoned mine were analyzed for specific conductance, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen with handheld field meters, and metals were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. |
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Geophysical Characterization of Subsurface Properties Relevant to the Hydrology of the Standard Mine in Elk Basin, Colorado
To help understand the hydrogeologic controls in the basin and how they affect surface and groundwater interactions with nearby mine workings, electrical resistivity profile, self–potential, and magnetic measurement data are provided herein. |
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Geophysical investigation of Red Devil mine using direct-current resistivity and electromagnetic induction, Red Devil, Alaska, August 2010
This large producer of mercury operated from 1933 to 1971. As part of remediation work, this survey used electromagnetic methods to study subsurface resistivity. |
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Geophysical, geochemical, mineralogical, and enivronmental data for rock samples collected in a mineralized volcanic environment, upper Animas River watershed, Colorado
Data for 90 rock samples collected from 2001 to 2007 for geophysical, geochemical, mineralogical, and environmental rock properties of acid neutralizing capacity and net acid production. |
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Hydrogeochemical investigation of the Standard Mine vicinity, upper Elk Creek basin, Colorado
Ground- and surface-water samples were collected in order to characterize the local ground-water flow system, determine metal concentrations in local ground water, and understand factors controlling the discharge of metal-rich waters from the mine. |
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Impact of mine and natural sources of mercury on water, sediment, and biota in Harley Gulch adjacent to the Abbott-Turkey Run mine, Lake County, California
Detailed samples around these abandoned mines will help to determine how well site remediation efforts have worked to reduce the dangerous levels of mercury that come from both natural sources here as well as the abandoned mines. |
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Mercury release from the Rathburn Mine, Petray Mine, and Bear Valley saline springs, Colusa County, California 2004-2006
Summary of data obtained from field sampling of mine tailings and waste rock and water and sediment in regional springs and tributaries that drain from the mine area into Bear Creek. Ground-water springs are also potential sources of mercury here. |
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Net acid production, acid neutralizing capacity, and associated mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of Animas River watershed igneous rocks near Silverton, Colorado
Chemical analysis of altered volcanic rocks to determine their potential for neutralization of acid-rock drainage. Includes magnetic susceptibility measurements as well. |
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Preliminary report on water quality associated with the abandoned Fontana and Hazel Creek mines, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
Water properties and water chemistry in an area containing abandoned mines where mine drainate is a concern. |
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Quality of water and sediment in streams affected by historical mining, and quality of mine tailings, in the Rio Grande/Río Bravo basin, Big Bend area of the United States and Mexico, August 2002
Geochemical data for stream water, sediments, and mine tailings in this area |
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Review of samples of sediment, tailings, and waters adjacent to the Cactus Queen gold mine, Kern County, California
Mine tailings here have high levels of arsenic. Experiments conducted on these sediments indicate that the arsenic can be released into the environment and become hazardous through chemical processes that occur when fine sediment is ingested by animals. |
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Review of samples of tailings, soils and stream sediment adjacent to and downstream from the Ruth Mine, Inyo County, California
Detailed study of mine waste material and sediments from streams passing through it. Arsenic is the main contaminant of interest here. |
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Review of samples of water, sediment, tailings, and biota at the Little Bonanza mercury mine, San Luis Obispo County, California
Data from field sampling of mine tailings, wasterock, sediment, water, and biota at the mine in 2010. Results permit a preliminary assessment of the mining sources of Hg and associated chemicals that could produce elevated levels of monomethylmercury. |
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Spring runoff water-chemistry data from the Standard Mine and Elk Creek, Gunnison County, Colorado, 2010
Periodic sampling of water during the spring of 2010 was carried out to understand the range and timing of variation in pH and metal concentration, and help evaluate variation in water quality during spring runoff. |
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Stream-Sediment Geochemistry in Mining-Impacted Drainages of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River, Custer County, Idaho
Analysis of stream sediments to assess the geochemistry, in particular the mercury and selenium contents, of mining-impacted sediments in the study area |
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Temporal Chemical Data for Sediment, Water, and Biological Samples from the Lava Cap Mine Superfund Site, Nevada County, California-2006-2008
This report is a compilation of water and sediment chemical data generated by the USGS study of indigenous, arsenic-sequestering microbial communities. A total of 9 synoptic sampling efforts conducted at specific sites are described. |
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Antimony
Antimony’s leading use is as a fire retardant in safety equipment and in household goods such as mattresses. The U.S. Government has considered antimony to be a critical mineral mainly because of its use in military applications. |
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Barite (Barium)
Barite (barium sulfate, BaSO4) is vital to the oil and gas industry because it is a key constituent of the mud used to drill oil and gas wells. Elemental barium is an additive in optical glass, ceramic glazes, and other products. |
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Beryllium
Beryllium is a mineral commodity that is used in a variety of industries to make products that are essential for the smooth functioning of a modern society. |
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Cobalt
Cobalt is a silvery gray metal that has diverse uses due to its ferromagnetism, hardness and wear-resistance when alloyed with other metals, low thermal and electrical conductivity, high melting point, multiple valences, and color effects with silica. |
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Fluorine
Fluorine compounds are essential in numerous chemical and manufacturing processes. Fluorspar is the commercial name for fluorite (isometric CaF2), which is the only fluorine mineral that is mined on a large scale. |
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Gallium
Gallium is a soft, silvery metallic element with an atomic number of 31 and the chemical symbol Ga. Gallium is used in a wide variety of products that have microelectronic components containing either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN). |
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Geochemical data for core and bottom-sediment samples collected in 2007 from Grand Lake o' the Cherokees, northeast Oklahoma
In this area of historical lead-zinc mining activity, studies such as this help to assess the possibility of human exposure to cadmium and lead through eating fish. |
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Geochemical Results of Lysimeter Sampling at the Manning Canyon Repository in the Mercur Mining District, Utah
This report presents chemical characteristics of transient unsaturated-zone water collected by lysimeter from the Manning Canyon repository site in Utah. Data collected by U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Manageme |
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Geochemistry and Environmental Tracer Data for Groundwater, Stream Water, and Soil and Sediment from North Quartz Creek, Colorado
Chemical data from stream water, groundwater, and soil samples collected in 2019 and 2020 in this area. Data from a tracer study is included as tool for understanding sources and loading rates of metals affecting stream water quality in a watershed affected by legacy mining and natural sulfide-weathering. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Geospatial database for regional environmental assessment of central Colorado
Study focusing on the effects of historical mining on Forest Service lands in this area. |
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Germanium and Indium
Germanium and indium are used in electronics devices, flat-panel display screens, light-emitting diodes, night vision devices, optical fiber, optical lens systems, and solar power arrays. |
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Graphite
Steelmaking and refractory applications in metallurgy use the largest amount of produced graphite; however, emerging technology uses in large-scale fuel cell, battery, and lightweight high-strength composites promise more uses. |
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Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed, San Juan county, Colorado
Major assessment of the environmental effects of historical mining in the Animas River watershed with GIS data files, tables, and plates. |
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Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Basin and Boulder mining districts, Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montana
Geological, geochemical, hydrologic, and biological observations combined with geographic framework data, supporting a multidisciplinary assessment of the impact of historic mining in this area. |
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Lithium
Lithium, the lightest of all metals, is used in air treatment, batteries, ceramics, glass, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. |
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Manganese
Manganese is used to make steel, where it serves as a purifying agent in iron-ore refining and as an alloy. |
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Mercury geochemistry of gold placer tailings, sediments, bedrock, and waters in the lower Clear Creek area, Shasta County, California; report of investigations, 2001-2003
Total mercury and methylmercury measured in sediments, tailings, and water in an area where historical gold mining has occurred; proposed habitat restoration work may release some of the mercury that is currently buried there. |
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Miscellaneous geochemical data from waters in the Upper Animas River Watershed, Colorado
This report releases data for waters in which naturally occurring acid-rock drainage occurs but acid-mine drainage from historical mining continues to contribute dissolved metals further degrading preexisting water quality. |
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Niobium and Tantalum
Niobium and tantalum are found together in nature because they have similar physical and chemical properties. Niobium is used in high-strength steel alloys, while tantalum is used in electronic capacitors. |
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Occurrence and variability of mining-related lead and zinc in the Spring River flood plain and tributary flood plains, Cherokee County, Kansas, 2009--11
One hundred years of historical mining has resulted in substantial ongoing input of cadmium, lead, and zinc into the environment. This surficial-soil sampling and coring study provides information needed to support remediation efforts. |
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Platinum-Group Elements
The platinum-group elements (PGEs)—platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium—are metals that have similar physical and chemical properties and tend to occur together in nature. PGEs are indispensable to many industrial applications. |
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Rare-Earth Elements
Because of their unusual physical and chemical properties, the REEs have diverse defense, energy, industrial, and military technology applications including glass, petroleum refining, automobiles, and magnets. |
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Reconnaissance soil geochemistry at the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, Fremont County, Wyoming
The site, on the Wind River Indian Reservation, has Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe tribes concerned about groundwater and soil contamination. This effort studies geochemical soil variation and compares concentrations with levels established by EPA |
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Rhenium
Rhenium is a rare metal that has an extremely high melting point and a heat-stable crystalline structure. It is used in high-temperature superalloys, to make turbine blades for jet aircraft engines and is a catalyst for petroleum refining. |
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Selenium
Selenium is a trace element in Earth's crust. Modern uses for selenium include energy-efficient windows that limit heat transfer and thin-film photovoltaic cells that convert solar energy into electricity. |
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Solid and aqueous geochemistry for mill tailings and other ore processing materials
Geochemical analyses of solid mill tailings and other ore processing materials from worldwide localities, and leachates from those samples. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Strontium isotopic data from the Mount Emmons-Redwell area, Crested Butte, Colorado
Strontium isotopic data from water and rock samples collected in this area. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Surface-water hydrology and quality at the Pike Hill Superfund Site, Corinth, Vermont, October 2004 to December 2005
Synoptic water-quality and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling at 14 stream sites to characterize the quality of surface water in the watershed on a seasonal and spatial basis, as well as to assess the effects of wetlands on water quality. |
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Tellurium
Tellurium is a rare element obtained as a byproduct of mining for other commodities whose main uses are in photovoltaic solar cells and as an additive to copper, lead, and steel alloys in various types of machinery. |
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Tin
Tin (Sn) is one of the first metals to be used by humans. Almost without exception, tin is used as an alloy. Its major uses today are for cans and containers, construction materials, transportation materials, and solder. |
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Titanium
Titanium colors paint, paper, plastic, rubber, and wallboard. Because of its strength and corrosion resistance, titanium metal and its alloys are used in the aerospace industry as well as for welding rod coatings, biological implants, and consumer goods. |
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Uranium in surface waters and sediments affected by historical mining in the Denver West 1:100,000 quadrangle, Colorado
Geochemical analysis of stream waters and sediments in mountainous areas immediately west of Denver, Colorado, to evaluate the concentration and distribution of uranium-bearing acid drainage originating from historical mines |
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Vanadium
Vanadium is used primarily in the production of steel alloys; as a catalyst for the chemical industry; in the making of ceramics, glasses, and pigments; and in vanadium redox-flow batteries (VRBs) for large-scale storage of electricity. |
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Water and sediment geochemistry data from the vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho
Water characteristics (measured in situ) and laboratory geochemical analysis of water and sediment in this area to quantify the increase in dissolved constituents in streams attributable to historical mining activity. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Water, Soil, Rock, and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2015-2017
Data collected to determine geologic background concentrations of trace metals in water and stream sediment, and to quantify the increase in dissolved constituents in streams attributable to historical mining activity in this area. Data are provided in CSV format. |
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Zirconium and Hafnium
Zirconium and hafnium are corrosion-resistant metals that are widely used in the chemical and nuclear industries. Most zirconium is consumed in the form of the main ore mineral zircon or as zirconium oxide or other zirconium chemicals. |
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