PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
ANNIE CREEK MINE TAILINGS
(RELIANCE TAILINGS)
LEADE, LAWRENCE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
The Annie Creek Mine Tailings Site is located about 3.5 miles west of the town of Lead in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. The site includes an area once known as Reliance Tailings and areas along Annie and Spearfish Creek, where sedimentation of mine tailings have occurred. Mine tailings were deposited at the headwaters of Annie Creek as a result of gold mining activities that occurred from 1907 to 1916. Arsenic and other heavy metals were released into Annie Creek as a result of a crib dam failure which retained the tailings at the old Reliance Mine.
The primary contaminant of concern is arsenic. Arsenic contamination has been detected in surface water, groundwater, alluvial soils, stream bed sediments and biota. The potential exists that vacationers and seasonal residents may be occasionally exposed to arsenic through ingestion of surface water and groundwater or by incidental ingestion of contaminated sediments from the stream beds of Annie and Spearfish Creek. ATSDR has concluded that Annie Creek Mine Tailings presents a no apparent public health hazard since the available data do not indicate that the occasional exposures to site contamination are occurring at concentrations that would be expected to produce adverse health effects.
Area residents expressed concern about the impact of releases of arsenic from the site on 1) the quality of the Spearfish municipal water supply 2) the quality of game fish in Spearfish Creek and 3) the potential for arsenic to migrate from Annie Creek and Spearfish Creek into water wells located at residences along the two streams.
Information collected during preparation of the public health assessment indicated that the Spearfish municipal water supply is not impacted by the contamination in Annie Creek. The municipal water supply is not obtained from Spearfish Creek.
Arsenic was detected in two species of fish, the trout (Spearfish Creek) and the mountain sucker (Annie Creek). Although arsenic was detected in an edible species of fish, the brown and brook trout, the levels detected would not be associated with any adverse health effects for the recreational consumer.
Arsenic was detected in the groundwater and in the surface water of Annie Creek. The wells at residences around Annie and Spearfish Creek were not used for drinking water. If the groundwater or surface water was ingested by a vacationers or seasonal residents at the reported concentrations, no adverse health are expected to occur.
There have been no adverse health effects reported by area residents or public health officials concerning exposure to arsenic contamination at the Annie Creek Mine Tailings Site.
In 1989, Wharf Resources built a waste rubble facility in the upper reaches of the Annie Creek drainage to stabilize the original Reliance Tailings pile. A non-time critical removal action was implemented for Annie Creek Mine Tailings. The removal action included: covering exposed areas of arsenic-contaminated tailings with clean soil; drainage controls to divert surface water runoff; institutional controls which included deed (residential use) and access restrictions; surface and groundwater monitoring; and public information programs to address potential human risk posed by the site. These actions will reduce the impact of the Reliance Tailings on Annie and Spearfish Creek. ATSDR recommends no further action for the Annie Creek Mine Tailings Site.
A. Site Description and History
The Annie Creek Mine Tailings Site (Old Reliance Tailings) is located about 3.5 miles west of the town of Lead, Lawrence County, South Dakota, about 4 miles west of the Terry Creek Road turnoff from Federal Route 85. Access to the old tailings is limited by an 8-foot wire mesh fence, gates, a security guard, and a cover of waste rock. The waste rock cover ranges from 60 to 150 feet over a large portion of the old Reliance Tailings.
The mine tailings dispersed along Annie Creek are the result of mining and milling activities that took place between 1907-1916. The tailings cover a 5 acre area deposited at the headwaters (upper 1/4 mile) of the Annie Creek. The old tailings (Old Reliance Tailings) were produced during gold mining activities that occurred from 1907 to 1916 at the site. Wharf Resources currently operates two open pits (Annie Creek Mine and Foley Ridge/Annie Arm Mine), an ore crusher, four cyanide leaching pads, and a processing facility near the Annie Creek which are not part of the site.
Wharf Resources installed a french drain partially through the old tailings to divert spring water from contacting the tailings. Additional lateral drains were installed to divert water percolating through the waste rubble facility around the tailings. The Old Reliance Tailings are now covered by about 60 to 150 feet of waste rock deposited as a result of current activities on the site. Topsoil and grass have been placed over the waste rock and old tailings to minimize erosion. The waste rubble facility was permitted under the state. Waste rock is continuing to be deposited as part of the active mining operation under a State mining permit. A history of operations and site related activities are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Historical Activities
|
1906-1917
1918-1981 1976-1991 1982
1982-1991
1983-1987 1987
1989
1990 1991 1991 1994 |
Gold ore was processed at the site using a cyanide leaching
method.
No mining activities were conducted at the site. The US Geological Survey monitored water quality in Spearfish Creek. Wharf Resources began operating a gold recovery facility at the site. The facility is currently active. Wharf Resources monitored surface water quality in Annie Creek downstream from the tailings pile. Wharf Resources monitored water quality in Annie springs at the site. SDDENR submitted a Preliminary Assessment of the site to U.S. EPA Region VIII Office in Denver, Colorado. An EPA Field Investigation Team monitored the tailings, surface water, sediment, and groundwater in the vicinity of the site. Wharf Resources monitored fish tissue in Annie Creek and Spearfish Creek. EPA evaluated the site under the Superfund Hazard Ranking System (1). The site was proposed for the Superfund National Priorities List. |
A site visit was conducted by Joe Hughart, Environmental Health Specialist, Tina Forrester, Toxicologist, and Susan Muza, Regional Representative on October 15-18, 1991. Site data in State and County government files were reviewed. ATSDR representatives met with personnel from the South Dakota Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (SDDENR) and the South Dakota Department of Health (SDDOH). County health nurses, local physicians, and the Spearfish Canyon Homeowners Association were also contacted. A tour of the Wharf Resources Mine was conducted by the mine operator. Annie Creek was observed from the Wharf Resources property boundary to the confluence with Spearfish Creek.
It was observed during the site visit that:
| - |
Direct contact with the tailings at the headwaters of Annie Creek is unlikely since the site is in an isolated location and the Reliance Tailings are currently under 50-160 feet of waste rock. |
- | Most of the residences along Annie and Spearfish Creek are seasonal vacation homes. |
C. Demographics, Land Use, and Natural Resource Use
Demographics
The Annie Creek Mine Tailing Site is located in Lawrence County. Ninety percent of the residents of Lawrence County are white, 1% are Hispanic, and the remaining population belong to other ethnic groups. There are fewer residents below 18 years of age in Lawrence County, compared to the state population, and slightly more residents are 18 to 64 years old. The percentage of residents over 65 years of age is comparable to the state average. Ten percent of the families in Lawrence County live below the poverty level. The per capita income of Lawrence County residents slightly exceeds the state per capita income. Over 75% of Lawrence County residents are high school graduates, and about 13% have 4 or more years of college (2).
Land Use
There are 20 homes located along the Annie Creek and Spearfish Creek (near its confluence with Annie Creek). Fifteen residences are vacation homes with limited annual occupance, three are permanent residences, and two are summer homes. The number of occupants of these residences are unknown. One permanent residence is located on Spearfish Creek, upstream from the confluence with Annie Creek. Two other residences are located one mile from the confluence on Spearfish Creek. The only residence in the Annie Creek drainage is the Kannenberg cabin which is used as a vacation home. This cabin is located 3/4 miles from the site. A commercial district is located in Lead, about 3.5 miles east of the site. Terry Peak Ski Resort is located one mile south of the site (3).
The primary industry in the immediate vicinity of the site is mining (about 44% of the work force are employed as miners). The closest mines beyond the site are located about 1.2 miles northeast. About 17% of the work force are employed in professional services, 2% are employed in construction, and 4% in manufacturing (4). Less than 1% of the work force are employed in agriculture. There are no farms in the immediate vicinity of the site. A fish hatchery is located at Spearfish, about 12 miles downstream from the site.
The closest health care facilities are located in Lead, about 3.5 miles east of the site. The closest school to the site is a high school in Lead, located about 4.2 miles east of the site. Elementary schools are located about 4.7 miles east of the site. Solid waste from several other mines are present in the Spearfish Creek watershed. There are no records of releases of hazardous substances in Lead or in Spearfish in the EPA Toxic Release Inventory database.
Natural Resource Use
Groundwater is used as a source of drinking water for Wharf Resources. The on-site well is 360 feet deep and draws water from the Pasahapa Limestone, the Englewood Formation (limestone), and the Whitewood Formation (dolomite). Depth to the saturated zone in this well is 288 feet. Rocks in the vicinity of the site consist of fractured Tertiary igneous intrusives and Mississippian-age limestones. The limestone formations lie along the flanks of the Black Hills Uplift, the core of which consists of igneous intrusive rocks. The igneous rocks generally do not yield sufficient water to function as aquifers. Some water wells in the area draw water from the limestones. Limestone wells in the area generally yield 5 to 100 gallons per minute, with maximum yields of about 4,000 gallons per minute. The saturated zone in limestone wells is usually located 100 to 300 feet below ground surface (5).
Springs forming Annie Creek are located along the flanks of the tailings pile. Annie Creek discharges into Spearfish Creek about 2 miles southwest of the waste rubble facility. Spearfish Creek provides recharge to water wells completed into alluvium. Soil on the Reliance Tailing site consists of mining spoil and colluvium. The soil is not used for farming in the area.
Thirteen residences have groundwater wells. Most wells are shallow (10-50 feet) and are probably completed in the alluvium. Only one residence uses surface water for household purposes (toilets, washing dishes, but not drinking water).
The area around Annie and Spearfish Creek are primarily used for recreational activities. Recreational use is limited to summer months and activities include hiking, fishing and hunting. No residents use Annie Creek for fishing, only a few use the area for hiking. The area of Spearfish Creek near Annie Creek is used for recreational purposes only. An annual motorcycle rally is held in Sturgis, South Dakota, and people camp along Spearfish Creek during that period. The rally is usually held during the first week of August. The Terry Peak ski slopes and lodge are located about 1 mile south of the site.
Trout fishing is popular in streams below the site. The State of South Dakota has designated Annie Creek as a cold water marginal stream for trout. The annual fish harvest for Annie Creek is about 65.0 lbs/acre. Spearfish Creek has been designated by the state as a cold water stream, excellent for trout, approved for immersion and limited contact recreation. The annual fish harvest for Spearfish Creek is about 200 lbs/year.
Government agencies routinely collect information on the health of the population within their
boundaries. Using state health data bases it may be possible to determine whether certain health
effects occur at a higher rate than expected in a given area. The State does not maintain chronic
disease registries (i.e cancer or birth defect registries). Local physicians interviewed by ATSDR
reported no diseases or symptoms that could be positively associated with exposure to arsenic in
the environment in the vicinity of the site. The physicians did report that occupational health
studies had been conducted on workers at a mine near Deadwood for chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease and lung cancer (6,7).
ATSDR contacted the SDDENR, SDDOH, and a member of the Spearfish Canyon Homeowners Association to determine if local residents have health concerns about the site. The following concerns were reported to ATSDR:
- Citizens were concerned about the impact of mine tailings from Annie Creek on the municipal water supply.
- Citizens were concerned that residential wells that draw water from the alluvial aquifer along Spearfish Creek were impacted by tailings from Annie Creek.
- Citizens were concerned that the trout that inhabit Annie and Spearfish Creek were contaminated.
There were no symptoms or illnesses reported as community health concerns in relation to releases of heavy metals into the environment at the Annie Creek (Reliance) Mine Site.
ATSDR will address these concerns in detail in the Public Health Implications section of this public health assessment.
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