Hardrock Metal Mining Pit Lakes: Occurrence and Geochemical Characteristics
Pit lakes are an increasingly common legacy of modem, large-scale surface mining operations. Pit lakes formed in open pit metal mines, where base and precious metals are extracted from ore deposits hosted in predominantly igneous and metamorphic silicate rocks, comprise one category of pit lakes. This category is referred to as hardrock metal-mine pit lakes, to distinguish them from pit lakes formed in above-ground hydrocarbon, industrial minerals, and aggregate mining operations.
Eary, L. E. and D. Castendyk (2013) Hardrock Metal Mining Pit Lakes: Occurrence and Geochemical Characteristics. Chapter 3.2.2 In Acidic Pit Lakes (M. Schultz and W. Geller, Eds.), Springer, Berlin, pp. 75-106.
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Email Address Created for Land Exchange Questions
The Southwestern Region Office of Lands and Minerals Management is overseeing and administering the land exchange and appraisal process which includes the 2,422-acre Oak Flat Federal Parcel. All questions about the land exchange and appraisal process should be emailed to SM.FS.rcexinfo@usda.gov
Programmatic Agreement Info
To comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Tonto National Forest developed a Programmatic Agreement (PA) and included it in Volume 5, Appendix O of the final EIS. The PA was created in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the State Historic Preservation Office, tribes and other consulting parties. The PA contains an agreed upon process for identifying, evaluating and addressing adverse effects to historic properties associated with this undertaking.
To review Volume 5 and the PA, Download Vol 5 PDF, 27 MB.
Forest Service Point of Contact
John Scaggs
Tonto National Forest
john.scaggs@usda.gov
Apache Leap Special Management Area
Apache Leap SMA website