The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added the Iron King Mine - Humboldt Smelter site in Dewey-Humboldt, Ariz., to the federal Superfund list today, after its initial proposal in March. [right, Iron King mine tailings, Humboldt, AZ. Credit, wikipedia]
This brings the number of Superfund sites in Arizona to 9.
According to EPA, "the site encompasses areas of contamination from two facilities: the Iron King Mine property and the Humboldt Smelter property. The Iron King Mine was an active mine from 1904 until 1969. The majority of this area is covered by tailings and waste rock piles.
The Humboldt Smelter is situated less than one mile east of the Iron King Mine property. The smelter operated from the late 1800s until the early 1960s. This area is covered in yellow-orange tailings, grey smelter ash, and slag. Mining and processing have contaminated soil, sediments, surface water and groundwater with arsenic, lead, and other metals."
The listing had the endorsement of the AZ Dept. of Environmental Quality.
I live just across the river from the humboldt smelter. My water tanks are the old boiler tanks from the mine..and both my back porches were made from the bricks of the smelter. We tried to plant a grarden this year and nothing survived. I had a babay chick born with no eyes about two weeks ago. And now I am really wondering if all this could be from contamination from the smelter. E.P.A. Is sure taking there time on releasing there plan to do anything. If there is any other Information you could give on the mine..I would be GREATFULL!
ReplyDeleteI have been in Humboldt for 36 years. I saw the taiklings pile actross the highway the first time I visited Humboldt. I made a opoint of visiting with old timers in Humboldt in order to hear of any rash of untimely deaths.
ReplyDeleteI met a Mrs. Kellis who taught Grade School here in 1950's. She died at age 101 about 200 yards down stream from the tailings pile. I was told that her older husband died at 104.