Blackbird Mine is an inactive mine located 25 miles west of the town of Salmon in east central Idaho (Lemhi County). Cobalt, silver and copper ore were extracted from underground and open pit mining operations. Contaminated soil, sediments and tailings were released from the Blackbird Mine site during high water flows from thunderstorms and snowmelt. The main environmental concerns at the mine are cobalt, copper and arsenic released into Blackbird Creek, the South Fork of the Big Deer Creek, Big Deer Creek, and Panther Creek. Since 1995, cleanup actions have collected contaminated runoff water in the mine area and treated it for copper and cobalt. These cleanup actions have also stabilized waste-rock piles at the mine. Soils contaminated with arsenic along the banks of Panther Creek have been removed. Construction of a proposed Bucktail Creek diversion pipeline is scheduled to occur in 2010. Post-construction monitoring of these cleanup activities is ongoing. In 2008, we will start a comprehensive Five-Year Review of the Blackbird Mine cleanup. The review is a checkup to evaluate the progress and effectiveness of cleanup activities. The final Five-Year Review report will explain the results and include recommendations to resolve any issues found during the review.
Decision/Technical Documents
Fact Sheets
Cobalt Cleanup Plan Revised for Blackbird Mine (PDF) (2 pp. 122K) - Sep. 2007
Work started on Meadow/Bucktail Creeks in Fall 2002 (PDF) (2 pp. 123K)- Oct. 2002
EPA Announces Proposed Plan (PDF) (32 pp. 1MB) - August 2002
Wildfires delay cleanup schedule (PDF) (2 pp. 370K) - October 2000
Contamination along Panther Creek Removed (PDF) (4 pp. 18K) - June 2000
Panther Creek Arsenic Exposure Prevention (PDF) - April 1999
Progress Continues on cleanup and investigation (PDF) - June 1998 |  |
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