Between 2002 and 2009, the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals - North Star Chapter (AHMP-NSC) conducted numerous volunteer projects at Voyageurs National Park through its CHMMunity program. Members of the chapter volunteered their technical skills to complete specialized projects at the Park. One such project was the Lyle Mine Remediation. The Lyle Mine was a historic gold mine located on a small island in Rainy Lake. The vertical shaft had been used as a dump and had filled with water creating a significant hazard. This presentation covers the first phase of the project, which included an environmental risk evaluation and environmental monitoring. Based on this information, the North Star Chapter members returned the next year to complete a drawdown of the pit and permanently seal the mine shaft to eliminate the hazard to visitors. Visitors to the Park can reach the island today by boat. You will find a "bear box" there with a plate thanking the members of the North Star Chapter for their efforts.

1. 1
AHMP - North Star Chapter
CHMMunity Project
Voyageurs National Park
Lyle Mine Remediation
Part 1: Lyle Mine Environmental
Site Assessment
Loren Larson, Caltha LLP
Project Leader
June 25, 2005

2. 2
Lyle Mine

3. 3
Lyle Mine

4. 4
Lyle Mine Environmental
Site Assessment
What is an ASTM Phase I ESA?
• American Society for Testing and
Materials
– Phase I of 3
– Environmental Site Assessment Process
– E 1527-00

5. 5
Lyle Mine ESA
• Assess for releases of hazardous
substances or petroleum products
• Identify Recognized Environmental
Conditions (REC’s)

6. 6
PHASE 1
ESA
1. History
2. Site Visit
3. Regulatory

7. 7
PHASE 1
ESA
1. History
2. Site Visit
3. Regulatory
3. Water Sampling

8. 8
Lyle Mine Island – History

9. 9
Site Risk Evaluation
• Research Historical Data
• Maps and Aerial Photographs
– National Park Service Checklist for
Monitoring Active and Abandoned Solid
Minerals Operations
– Interviews
– Vermillion Iron Journal
– Rainy Lake Journal
– Bureau of Mines Report

10. 10
Site Risk Evaluation
• Rainy Lake Journal, 3-14-1895
– “put in a complete electric light plant
for use in the camp, mill, shaft house
and mine.”
– “A carload of dynamite is now on the
way here and we have just completed
a powder house that we consider safe
and one that is bullet proof, in case of
careless handling of firearms.”

11. 11
Site Risk Evaluation
• Rainy Lake Journal,
• Vermillion Iron Journal 1894-1897
–Up to 5 Shafts started
–One Shaft was ~100’ deep
–East and West veins
• Extend ~10’ on each side
• At ~ 50 feet

12. 12
Site Risk Evaluation
• NPS Abandoned Operations
Checklist 1989
–Safety Hazard Rating – 1 (from 2)
• Former Occupant
– Provided Limited Access
• No Longer Occupied (2003)
– Risk Changed From Limited to High
• Currently Open to the Public
–Environmental Hazard Rating - 3
• Conditions confined to site

13. 13
Site Risk Evaluation
•What about from 1895 to 2003?
•Historical Relevance Interviews
–Seasonal cabin 1950’s to 2003
•Debris Disposal in Shaft
•Waste Disposal in Shaft
•Solid Waste Around Island

14. 14

15. 15
Site Visit

16. 16

17. 17

18. 18

19. 19

20. 20

21. 21

22. 22

23. 23

24. 24

25. 25

26. 26
WATER SAMPLING

27. 27
WATER SAMPLING
• What parameters?
– Input from MPCA, past NPS survey,
site history
• How to collect samples?
• How deep is shaft?
• How many samples?

28. 28
Determining Depth

29. 29
Data collection
• YSI (define) to Determine
Measurable Parameters
– pH
– Dissolved Oxygen
– Temperature
– Conductivity
– Oxygen Reduction Potential (ORP)
– Specific Conductance
– Pressure

30. 30
YSI Data Collection

31. 31
Conductivity
Specific Conductance
-80.00
-70.00
-60.00
-50.00
-40.00
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
0.000 0.050 0.100 0.150 0.200 0.250

32. 32
Dissolved Oxygen
DO(mg/L)
-80.00
-70.00
-60.00
-50.00
-40.00
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00

33. 33
Dissolved Oxygen
DO(mg/L)
-80.00
-70.00
-60.00
-50.00
-40.00
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00

34. 34
Samples
Specific Conductance
-80.00
-70.00
-60.00
-50.00
-40.00
-30.00
-20.00
-10.00
0.00
0.000 0.050 0.100 0.150 0.200 0.250

35. 35
Sample Analysis
• Total Suspended Solids
• Metals (RCRA and others)
• Cyanide
• Nitrogen
• Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
– 5 Day
• Fecal Coliforms

36. 36
Comparison to WQ Standards
8 ft8 ft 30 ft30 ft 65 ft65 ft StandardsStandards
Aluminum (Al) ug/L 3,2703,270 285285 90.690.6 125/1072
Antimony (Sb) ug/L 5.15.1 0.940.94 0.340.34 55/90
Arsenic (As) ug/L 5.85.8 2.42.4 1.61.6 2/360
Cadmium (Cd) ug/L 1.41.4 0.170.17 <0.10<0.10 0.66/15
Chromium (Cr) ug/L 5.95.9 0.890.89 0.760.76 11/16
Copper (Cu) ug/L 3939 66 22 6.4/9.2
Lead (Pb) ug/L 100100 17.617.6 4.34.3 1.3/34
Nickel (Ni) ug/L 4.64.6 2.02.0 1.51.5 88/789
Selenium (Se) ug/L 0.550.55 0.670.67 0.710.71 5/20
Silver (Ag) ug/L <0.20<0.20 <0.20<0.20 <0.20<0.20 0.12/0.61
Thallium (Tl) ug/L <0.10<0.10 <0.10<0.10 <0.10<0.10 0.28/64
Zinc (Zn) ug/L 563563 52.252.2 22.222.2 59/65

37. 37
Total Suspended Solids
TSS (mg/L)
-70
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Standard
30 mg/L

38. 38
Calcium & Potassium
-70
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000
Ca
K

39. 39
Summary of Environmental Issues
Issue Likelihood Severity Uncertainty
Solid waste in
mine
High Low-Moderate Low
Other solid wastes High Low Low
Mine water Dependant
on
management
Low-Moderate Low
Asbestos High High Low
Other shafts Moderate-
High
Low-Moderate Moderate
Explosives Low Low-High,
depends on
management
High
Other hazardous
wastes
Low Moderate-High Moderate

40. 40
Using ESA results for
future recommendations
• Options for securing Lyle Mine
shaft
– Fencing
– Signage
– Foam
– Other fill
– Discussion

41. 41
Questions
Contact
Loren Larson
llarson@calthacompany.com
(612) 386-6695