Placer mining technology and associated environmental effects

Levell, Jeffery; Peterson, Larry; Nichols, Gary; Covington, Sidney

This publication is intended to be a ready-reference handbook and guide for park and regional staff who will be called upon to evaluate the technological aspects of proposed placer mining operations and the environmental impacts of those operations. Those operations may be within a park unit, and therefore covered under a plan of operations; or, they may occur outside the park boundary in such proximity as to effect the resources within the park. This handbook should be an aid in the understanding of the equipment and methods used in placer mining, provide a background to assess environmental effects of placer mining, provide potential mitigation measures for environmental impacts and give a brief synopsis of the current environmental regulations pertaining to placer mining. The text is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to provide a synopsis of the placer mining industry and at the same time provide references to which can lead the reader to a more in-depth study, if desired. In addition, it is intended to emphasize those aspects which are important to the evaluation of a placer mining operation from a NPS perspective. The user should call upon expert help for additional information, including NPS staff geologists and engineers. Since the great majority of placer mining affectin units of the NPS occurs in Alaska, most of the discussion is written with Alaska operations in mind. Discussions of fish, wildlife and specific environments are for Alaska. However, most of the mining and sampling techniques may be applied to placer operations universally.

Placer mining technology and associated environmental effects

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