Hauling field gear up Gothic Mountain…
ABSTRACT Mount Emmons is located near Crested Butte, Colorado. It is the site of a proposed molybdenum mine that would extract ore from within the core of the 12,000‐foot plus peak. AMAX Inc. is proposing to extract the ore body by utilizing a block caving technique that requires a thorough understanding of the hydrology of the mountain. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that water quality data from various sources can be clustered and grouped into distinct populations that can be correlated with hydrogeologic features mapped on the mountain. Cluster analysis and canonical analysis are applied to mine water quality data, drillhole water quality data, spring‐water quality data and surface‐water quality data. Identified subpopulations indicate the presence or absence of mineralized sources in recharge areas, along flow paths or in discharge areas for the different water quality groups. The statistical analyses in combination with fault‐vein mapping and debris slide mapping facilitate identification of preferential hydraulic connections between the surface of Mount Emmons and internal mineralized zones. The majority of the springs on Mount Emmons were shown to be derived from debris slides. These springs discharge water that meets drinking‐water standards. The statistical analyses in combination with the hydrogeologic mapping indicate that these springs should not be affected significantly by mining. The analyses and hydrogeologic mapping also delineate those ground‐water discharge areas that can be expected to be affected by mining. The delineation of the latter zones is essential to the mining plan; preventative and corrective measures can be implemented in the identified areas in order to assure that negative impacts of mining are avoided.
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