Isotope Tracing Analysis for the
Commodore and Nelson Mine Shafts near Creede, Colorado
Ore bins at the Nelson Tunnel
West Willow Creek Canyon
Creede, Colorado (photo by Jerry Clark)
Principal investigator: Mark W. Williams
Graduate student: Tony Krupicka
Funding Sources
- EPA Superfund and Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment
Purpose of the Investigation
The purpose of this Work Plan is to provide the basis and rationale for collecting and evaluating stable isotope and water quality data that will be obtained to supplement the ongoing evaluation of acid mine drainage (AMD) discharging from the portals of the Commodore and Nelson Mines near Creede Colorado
- Our primary objective with this project is to identify possible source control techniques to eliminate AMD pollution. Such source control techniques have the potential for tremendous long-term cost savings relative to the prevalent end-of-pipe treatment strategies.
- We propose to quantitatively delineate source waters to contaminated areas of the Commodore and Nelson tunnels using isotopic values in combination with geochemical tracers and end member mixing analysis to separate possible source waters.