Standard Mine cleanup west of CB to start new phase

Closing the bulkhead for years to monitor impact

By Mark Reaman

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will close the bulkhead at the Standard Mine Superfund Site this month, located 5 miles west of Crested Butte in the Elk Creek Drainage, for approximately two to three years. The idea is to continue surface water quality monitoring through 2027 to evaluate impacts of the extended bulkhead closure. It is part of the continuing cleanup of the abandoned hard rock mine site that has contaminated the area in the Ruby Mining District of the Gunnison National Forest in Gunnison County. 

EPA representatives, along with officials from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, held a public meeting in Crested Butte on June 8 to outline the “minor modification” to the EPA cleanup plan. As part of the process, the agencies will be monitoring water pressure behind the bulkhead along with quality of the surface water.

EPA representatives stated at the meeting that metals concentrations in Elk Creek are generally going down since efforts began in 2005 to clean up the contaminated site when the site was listed on the Superfund National Priorities List and the bulkhead was installed in 2016 as part of the remediation. The hard rock, 10-acre Standard Mine site was used for decades to mine silver, lead, zinc and copper. Mining activities at the site contaminated soil, surface water and groundwater with heavy metals. The heavy metals were deposited into Elk Creek, which flows into Coal Creek and eventually downstream to water users. Coal Creek is a primary drinking water source for the town.

During the initial cleanup the waste rock was placed in an on-site repository. A two-phase cleanup was approved in 2011 and a flow-control bulkhead was installed in 2016. Phase two would consist of a passive water treatment system if needed. Monitoring of water quality is scheduled to continue through 2027.

While impacts to water quality from short-term bulkhead closure, a partially open bulkhead and a fully open bulkhead have been evaluated, a long-term bulkhead closure scenario has not been evaluated so the EPA wants to begin that monitoring this month. 

During the extended bulkhead closure, the EPA will continue to coordinate closely with the town of Crested Butte and Gunnison County on all cleanup action, including the “unlikely event” that the bulkhead valve requires opening to reduce water pressure. Community members can find more information about the Standard Mine Superfund Site on the EPA webpage: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/standard-mine.