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PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF A PASSIVE TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR FE, AS, MN AT THE EMPIRE MINE STATE HISTORIC PARK
Schipper, R., N. Gallagher, T. Rutkowski, S. Lofholm, and G. Leach. | Technical Sessions: Smart Mining: Resources for a Connected World, 24-27 Feb 2019, Denver, Colorado. p 76, 2019

The Empire Mine State Historic Park contains 367 miles of now-flooded underground workings. Following closure, discharged mining-influenced water (MIW) contained arsenic, iron, and manganese in excess of federal and state standards. A full-scale passive treatment system (PTS), in operation since November 2011, was designed and constructed to treat the MIW and meet the permit limits. The PTS flowrate varies seasonally and has averaged 160 gpm with a peak near 1000 gpm. Metal removal results for the system have improved over time, corresponding with maturation of the PTS. Since February 2013, the PTS has provided effective removal of permitted metals to trace levels. In addition to metals removal, the PTS has also increased pH, increased dissolved oxygen, and reduced turbidity. See slides from a 2017 presentation: https://reclaimingthesierra.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Steve-Lofholm.pdf.



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