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Open AccessArticle10.3133/ofr96531

Characterization of acid mine drainage at the Holden mine, Chelan County, Washington

J.E. Kilburn,S.J. Sutley-1996-01-01-Antarctica A Keystone in a Changing World
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The Holden orebody is a relatively low-grade, Cu-Zn-Ag-Au, Kuroko-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit (VMS) located within the crystalline core of the northern Cascade Range, north-central Washington. The abandoned mine and related workings lie adjacent to Railroad Creek, a major tributary of Lake Chelan (a large fjord lake) some 12 mi. to the east. Because of their pyrite-and sulfide-rich nature, massive sulfide deposits such as Holden have an unusually high acid-generating capacity. Under oxidizing conditions, water draining these deposits can react with the sulfides to form acidic, metal-rich waters that represent potentially significant sources of acid and metal-loading in the environment, jeopardizing not only local water quality but neighboring aqueous and terrestrial ecosystems as well. Three sources of contaminated water discharging directly into nearby Railroad Creek were identified at the Holden site, including: (1) highly acidic, Fe-dominant seeps at the base of the ta

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The Holden orebody is a relatively low-grade, Cu-Zn-Ag-Au, Kuroko-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit (VMS) located within the crystalline core of the northern Cascade Range, north-central Washington. The abandoned mine and related workings lie adjacent to Railroad Creek, a major tributary of Lake Chelan (a large fjord lake) some 12 mi. to the east. Because of their pyrite-and sulfide-rich nature, massive sulfide deposits such as Holden have an unusually high acid-generating capacity. Under oxidizing conditions, water draining these deposits can react with the sulfides to form acidic, metal-rich waters that represent potentially significant sources of acid and metal-loading in the environment, jeopardizing not only local water quality but neighboring aqueous and terrestrial ecosystems as well. Three sources of contaminated water discharging directly into nearby Railroad Creek were identified at the Holden site, including: (1) highly acidic, Fe-dominant seeps at the base of the ta

Keywords

Acid mine drainageArchaeologyDrainageMining engineeringGeologyEnvironmental scienceGeographyChemistry

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