Today, we celebrate with the forest service, holden village, yakama nation. Environmental protection agency declared the holden mine area as a superfund site. Because of the extent of cleanup work, holden village plans to adjust its visitor programs for two. The ely copper mine is an abandoned copper mine located in vershire, orange county, east central vermont. The planned cleanup will be completed in a phased approach. While rio tinto never owned or operated the holden mine, we are paying for and managing the cleanup as part of the acquisition terms from previous owners. Holden village is the largest retreat center in the. It is also the largest underground copper mine in the world. New hampshire copper mining, copper mine companies, mine owners and mine information.
Usmining provides information on mines, operators, and minerals mined in new hampshire. Mine cleanup puts retreat center at risk holden village, wash. Pagel referred to a 2006 abandoned mine cleanup bill brought by thensen. Holden mine remediation project superior az community. Engineering and reclamation of the holden legacy mine.
The holden mine is located in a remote spot near lake chelan in northcentral washington state. Remote village struggles to keep identity while cleaning. Copper and cultural resources at the holden mine it is also the site of the old holden mine that left behind 8 million tons of tailings from copper extracting operations. The mine project is expected to impact holden villages summer season for two years. Prieska copper mine copperton deposit, copperton, siyathemba, pixley ka seme, northern cape, south africa. After remediation construction was complete, a period of testing and analysis began to determine whether further work will be necessary in the eastern portion of the affected area.
The holden mine, a metamorphosed volcanogenic deposit in. Formerly the site of one of the largest copper mines in the united states, the holden mine, holden is accessible only by the lake chelan passenger ferry, the lady of the lake, or by hiking in through the cascade mountains. About 4,000 people visit the village each year, which operates in a former mining town. Holden village, and the holden village foundation are both 501c3 notforprofit corporations, ein 916018658.
Holden mine is an inactive underground mine located along railroad creek 10 miles west of lake. Major components of the cleanup include stabilizing and capping the tailings and waste rock as well as capturing and treating impacted mine portal drainage, groundwater, and seeps to stop the ongoing release of hazardous substances and prevent exposure to. It left behind some 300,000 cubic yards of waste rock and 8. San tan valley, pinal county, akearny, superior, oracle, hayden, winkelman, globe, miami. Rio tinto resolution copper mine, oak flat az duration. The old prieska copper mine in the northern cape, which exploited one of the worlds 30. Holden mine remediation, cerclamtcanrda support us forest service okanoganwenatchee national forest, washington. His bill included waivers not just to the clean water act, but also to the toxic substances control act and solid waste disposal act.
Holden village is a center for renewal, a lutheran ministry welcoming all people into the wilderness to be called, equipped and sent by god. Rio tinto and holden village welcomed a group of journalists to the site in mid july. The holden min e remedia tion project, mandated under federal law and overseen by the u. Forest service, is a halfbillion dollar effort addressing pollutants left from holdens mining era, 193757. The weeklong visit was hosted by the school district, united states forest service and holden village and included four educational sessions facilitated by rio. Howe sound companys holden mine was one of the largest copper mines in the united states during its productive life, from 1938 to 1957. A small army of lutheran volunteers came to clean up and repair the. See more ideas about holden village, wenatchee national forest and north cascades. The mine and mill facilities produced approximately 212 million pounds of copper, 40 million pounds of zinc, 2 million ounces of silver, and 600 thousand ounces of gold from approximately 10 million tons of ore.
The holden mine, a metamorphosed volcanogenic deposit in the cascade range of washington john l. Holden mine historical is covered by the holden, wa us topo map quadrant. A number of visitors saw firsthand how rio tintos holden mine cleanup program is remaking the former mine site in the okanoganwenatchee national forest. After docking there is a 10mile trip up a hill to holden village. Holden village finds new beginning after test of fire. Neil provo was downloading topographical maps of the area onto his phone. A betterdesigned tool directly translates to higher profitability from your operation, which gives you a competitive edge over your competition. Holden village finds new beginning after test of fire, massive mine. Some 5,000 guests a year visit holden village to relax, hike and perform volunteer service. The coppermine epic course has the extra climb to the top of fringed hill 900m and the amazing native forest singletrack descent of black diamond ridge added to the mix and.
Holden village owns the mining claims and the forest service has removed the surrounding area from any mineral exploration. The main adit consists of about 2,000 feet of workings, including two 40 foot inundated winzes. The weeklong visit was hosted by the school district, united states forest service and holden village and included four educational sessions facilitated by rio tinto. The holden mine project is a federally mandated cleanup to remediate past environmental problems from the old holden mine site and prevent future water and soil contamination. The copper belle mine is located in snohomish county washington in the index mining district at an elevation of 1500 feet. After all, you are spending manhours in exchange for added value to your scrap wires. Howe sound company operates holden copper mine between 1938 and 1957 mining claims deeded to lutheran bible institute in 1961 now site of holden village in the late 1980s, us forest service identifies legacy environmental issues and takes action to control dust and protect streambanks us epa names howe sound successor. The 10 biggest copper mines in the world mining technology.
Holden mine remediation, cerclamtcanrda support hart. A wildfire and a massive mine cleanup tested holden village, a lutheran. New hampshire copper mining, mines, mine owners and mine. When copper prices fell, the village was abandoned. Company prepares for major holden mine cleanup local. The coppermine course is a stunning loop of the dun mountain trail all the way to the mineral belt at the coppermine saddle, where this unique event takes its name from. Copper recycling, either as a business or as a hobby, is all about efficiency. The site underwent a fiveyear remediation effort to put nature back in place, with the goal of the cleanup to protect public health, welfare, and the. Rio tinto has no interest in mining the area and we couldnt even if we wanted to. Holden village a near religious experience ascent magazine. When the mine was at its peak, about 600 people lived in holden, then a modern village with dormitories, chalets and private homes.
The men were trapped shortly after entering the mine at seven in the morning. I recently drove up to and spent a beautiful day in jerome, arizona. Struggles to keep identity while cleaning up mine legacy holden village, cascade mountains. Remote village struggles to keep identity while cleaning up mine. Holden mine historical topo map in chelan county, washington. Formerly the site of one of the largest copper mines in the united states, the holden mine, holden is. Fourteen men are hovering near death in taylor hospital and twelve others suffered slight burns through a terrific explosion of gas that swept through a portion of the clark vein of the holden mine of the delaware, lackawanna and western company at north taylor this. It was one of the largest operating copper mines in the united states from 1938 to 1957. The holden mine was one of the largest operating underground copper mines in the u. Holden mine cleanup site information the department of ecology. Ap for decades, yellow and whitetinged piles of waste from a defunct copper mine have covered the mountainside at the edge of the quintessential new mexico village. Here is some information from located high on top of cleopatra hill 5,200 feet between prescott and flagstaff is the historic copper mining town of jerome, arizona. The complete record of decision is also available for download.
The remediation area is one mile long by half a mile wide, 200 feet across the creek from holden village. Ap for decades, yellow and whitetinged piles of waste from a defunct copper mine have covered the mountainside at the edge of the quintessential new mexico village of cuba out. Holden village cranked out two thousand tons of copper ore daily. Adjacent to the mine is a former man camp, now home of the holden village inc. In september 2019, 110 seventhgrade students and community members from lake chelan school district visited the holden mine cleanup site and toured the water treatment plant. The holden mine is a copper mine located in chelan county, washington at an elevation of 3,501 feet. Forest service under section 106 of the comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and liability act. Tiny holden village is about to be flooded with hundreds of workers there to clean up an old copper mine. Forest service, is a halfbillion dollar effort addressing pollutants left from holden s mining era, 193757. Holden village is a yearround lutheran christian center in the north cascade mountains of the u. Youre cleaning up the holden mine so you can go in and mine again.
Currently, it is privately owned by ely mine forest inc. Their mine and mill facilities produced primarily copper concentrate and lesser. Old copper mine is one of many sites in west needing cleanup. Copper mining in the united states has been a major industry since the rise of the northern michigan copper district in the 1840s. Since 1961 the former mining town site, holden village, has served as a. Forest service and the mining company agreed on a plan to rehabilitate the old copper mine near holden village. Fig tree holden village mine remediation begins two year. On tuesday, march 8, 1960 the holden mine at island creek no. Geological survey publishes a set of the most commonly used topographic maps of the u. View of mill structure and buildings at level of mine portal looking southwest from winston camp with buckskin mountain in background. The 10foot diameter pelton wheel for the copper belle power house dating to 1902 remains today. Preparations for a final cleanup began in 2011 see calendar. And although you wont be able to come as a guest between may and november, holden does need volunteersboth short and longtermduring that time to make the most of this opportunity for construction and improvements around the village. Designing mine reclamation from waste rock to treatment.
You can download recordings of this service at the holden village website. Through a cooperative agreement with rio tinto during the cleanup project, the village has reduced its programming and is performing needed maintenance and upgrades of its facilities, while providing accommodations for mine cleanup construction workers. Unilateral administrative order uao to intalco aluminum corporation for cleanup work at the holden mine superfund site, located in okanoganwenatchee national forest, wash. Copper mountain near holden village, washington state. The village used this time to upgrade village infrastructure and facilities. A wildfire and a massive mine cleanup tested holden village, a lutheran retreat center in the north cascades. Wildfire now burning around holden village the seattle times. Climb copper 10 hours round trip from holden, eat, move camp to. With completion of major mine remediation construction in late 2016, holden village stands on the threshold of a new beginning, refreshed environmentally and spiritually. The holden mine was operated by howe sound mining co. About the project project background and mine history. The surprising reason abandoned us mines havent been. About us coppermine leader of copper recovery tools.