ASARCO 043477'

A D M I N I S T R A T I V E R E C O R DL e a d v i l l e Uni tM i c h a e l G. LeeU n i t M a n a g e rApril 29, 1992 PBIV

\ Mr. Ken Wangerud!- Remedial Project ManagerU.S. EPA Region Vffl999 18th Street , Suite 500L Denver, CO 80202-2405i S u b j e c t : Smelter Site Reconnaissance Report for Smelter Site Investigation WorkL PlanCali fornia Gulch Site , Leadville, CO! Project No. 22909E (T2310), Dear Mr. Wangerud:

In response to EPA's request, ASARCO has prepared the enclosed Smelter SiteReconnaissance Report. Smelter Site Reconnaissance was one part of work conducted! under the Smelter Site Investigation Work Plan, Cali fornia Gulch Sit e , Leadvil l e ,Colorado, August 1991 (Smel t er Work Plan). In order to provide EPA with, information concerning smelter-related wastes and building materials observed atI former historic smelter sites, this report has been prepared in advance of the SmelterSite Remedial Investigation Report. This report will be included as a section in thei S m e l t e r S i t e Remedial Investigation Report.

T h i s report, which presents a site-by-site reconnaissance summary of the seventeenI historic locations of smelting fac i l i t i e s ident i f i ed during the historic literature review,L focuses on smelter-related wastes and building materials observed at some of thehistoric sites. Informat ion on slag has been forwarded to the Denver and Rio GrandeI Railroad Co.,̂ F i f t e e n of the seventeen sites were observed and described by Woodward-ClydeI Consultants ( W C C ) personnel and EPA auditors; however, two locations of small

M909E-2M27/LE29 <X-2*-«/RPT/2LL

ASARCO I n c o r p o r a t e d • Post O f f i c e Box 936 • L e a d v i l l e , Colorado 80461 • (719) 486-1772 • FAX (719) 486-3874

LMr. Ken WangerudL_ U.S. EPA Region VHIApril 28, 1992Page 2L

f smelters that operated for less than one year were not visited due to access restrictions.L The description for each site includes location, years in operation, observed remainingsmelter building materials or structures, and comments on the nature and location off observed smelter-related waste.If you have any questions, call me at (303) 279-2645.i

U Sincerely,\ C > 1

/> Mjlenn L. AndersonI / i Environmental SuperintendentLLG:stbEnclosure

i (4 copies sent)2c: Mr. Russ Alien; Colorado Department of H e a l t hi Ms. Mary Capdevi l l e; Colorado Dept. of LawMr. Jef f Lewis; ASARCOMs. Janet Campbel l; Roy F. Weston, Inc.[_ Ic: Mr. Ron Eddy; Sherman & Howard"" Mr. Earl Madsen; Bradley, Campbell , Caraey & MadsenMr. Dave Baker; Resurrection Mining[_ Mr. M.G. Lee; ASARCO, Leadville, ColoradoMr. Lany Drew; HECLAMs. Kathleen Snead; Denver & Rio Grande WesternMs. Betsy Temkin; Ballard, Spahr, Andrews, & IngersollMs. Charlotte Nie t z e l ; Hohne Robert & OwensMr. J o h n F. Shepherd; Hol land and HartMr. Sherman J. Worthington; Water, Waste & Land, Inc.Dr. Jonathan S. Callender; Adrian Brown ConsultantsMr. Jim Walsh; James P. Walsh & AssociatesMs. Anne Viegel; Monison-Knudsen EnvironmentalF i l e

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S M E L T E R S I T ER E C O N N A I S S A N C EC A L I F O R N I A G U L C H S I T EL E A D V I L L E , COLORADO

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Prepared forA S A R C O , IncorporatedLeadville, ColoradoApril 1992

Woodward-ClydeW o o d w a r d - C l y d e Consul tants4582 S o u t h Ul s t e r StreetS t a n f o r d Place 3, Sui t e 1000Denver, Colorado 80237

22909E-T2310

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Sect i on1.02.0

I N T R O D U C T I O NF I E L D S I T E R E C O N N A I S S A N C E2.12.22.32.42.52.62.72.82.92.102.112.122.132.142.152.162.17

M A L T A S M E L T E RL I Z Z I E S M E L T E RC A L I F O R N I A S M E L T E RW E S T E R N Z I N CA R K A N S A S V A L L E Y S M E L T E RA M E R I C A N S M E L T E RLA PLATA S M E L T E RG R A N T / U N I O N S M E L T E RL E A D V I L L E S M E L T E RHARRISON REDUCTION WORKSADELAIDE S M E L T E RL I T T L E C H I E F S M E L T E RO H I O A N D M I S S O U R I S M E L T E RC U M M I N G S A N D F I N N S M E L T E RG A G E - H A G A M A N S M E L T E RT H E R A Y M O N D , S H E R M A N A N D M C K A Y S M E L T E RE L G I N S M E L T E R

Page1-12-12-12-12-22-22-22-32-32-32-42-42-42-52-52-52-52-62-6

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LTABLE OF CONTENTS (Conc luded)

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LIST OF FIGURESF I G U R E 2-1F I G U R E 2-2F I G U R E 2-3F I G U R E 2-4FIGURE 2-5F I G U R E 2-6F I G U R E 2-7FIGURE 2-8FIGURE 2-9

S M E L T E R S I T E I N V E S T I G A T I O N H I S T O R I C S M E L T E RL O C A T I O N SM A L T A S M E L T E R , B R I C K S A N D MORTARW E S T E R N Z I N C , D U S T A N D B R I C K SA R K A N S A S V A L L E Y S M E L T E R , R O A S T I N G OVENS A N DBRICKSA R K A N S A S V A L L E Y S M E L T E R , B I N S A N D P O S S I B L EDUST AREAA M E R I C A N S M E L T E R , VIEW ALONG F U R N A C EL O C A T I O N SLA PLATA S M E L T E R , FOUNDATION MATERIALH A R R I S O N REDUCTION W O R K S , S L A GELGIN S M E L T E R , AREA OF DUST BINS AND OBSERVEDDUST

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i.oI N T R O D U C T I O N

LThe objectives of the smelter site reconnaissance were (1) to locate in the f i e l d the

L smelter sites i d e n t i f i e d in Task 1 of the Smelter Work Plan Cal i fornia Gulch Si t eLeadvil l e , Colorado dated August 1991, and (2) to document areas of observed smelter

i waste visually apparent at each site. Thi s task (Task 2) involved visual inspection only.No subsurface probing or sampling was conducted.

L , On August 26,27, and 28 a Woodward-Clyde Consultants ( W C C ) f i e l d team performed;" f i e l d reconnaissance to locate the above mentioned sites. The location of smelter sites^ and evidence of wastes associated with bag houses, dust chambers, s ludge pi t s , wastej - rock p i l e s , and p i t s f rom the smelter operation were noted. Building material debris andL other evidence that structures previously existed at each smelter site were noted. Slag

was observed at historic smelter locations and other locations throughout the area. In^ some cases, it was apparent that the slag was associated with a particular historic smelter

location, but this association was not clear in many cases.IL" Pictures were taken of each site in order to provide addi t ional documentation.\ Photographs d ep i c t ing smelter-related wastes included in this report will be presented*• in the f inal smelters remedial investigation (RI) report.

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F I E L D S I T E R E C O N N A I S S A N C E

The f i e l d site reconnaissance used information from the historical literature review to^, guide e f f o r t s to locate historic smelter sites in Leadville. F i f t e e n sites out of a pos s ib l e

seventeen sites were visited. Two sites (Gage-Hagaman Smel t er and Raymond, Sherman• and McKay Smel t e r) were not visited due to access restrictions. The historic information

used to establish that there were seventeen sites will be found in the historic l i terature, section of the Smel t er S i t e Remedial Inves t igat ion Report. The Smel t e r S i t e

Inves t igat ion His tor i c Smel t er Locations map (Figure 2-1) shows the location of eachsmelter site.

; - WCC personnel and EPA auditors visited each smelter site for which access was granted.[_ A second confirmation visit was made to eleven of the sites, and included two cultural

resource spec ia l i s t s as part of the observation team to, assist in site documentation.^ Details for each smelter site are discussed below.r 2.1 MALTA S M E L T E R

• The Malta Smel t er was located near the mouth of Cali fornia Gulch. The smelter^- operated discontinuously during the period from 1875 to 1880. Three tiers in the soili were found corresponding to the three levels on which the M a l t a smelter f a c i l i t y wasL' constructed. L i t t l e evidence of this f a c i l i t y remains. Some f i r e bricks were observedr. near a pit (Figure 2-2). Bricks and minor amounts of slag were also located immediately|j east of the site.

* 22 LIZZIE S M E L T E R

: Historical records indicated that the Lizzie Smel t er was located near the Malta Smel t e r** in Malta. The smelter operated per iod i ca l ly f rom 1876 to 1879. L i t t l e evidence of the; ' smelter's existence remains except for two pi t s observed east of the old school house.L. Building materials including mortar and a few bricks were found in and near the pits .

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The area appears to have been frequent ly disturbed and was li t tered with recent trash.»_> W i t h the exception of building material (a few bricks), no smelter-related waste was| observed at this location.LJ

23 CALIFORNIA S M E L T E RL, The Cali fornia Smel t er was located south of the Arkansas Val l ey smelter. The former[^ location of the Cal i f orn ia Smel t er appears, based on historical records, to be buried

under the slag p i l e now to the west of the Arkansas Val l ey Smelter . No waste orbuilding material related to the Cali fornia Smel t er could be i d e n t i f i e d .w2.4 W E S T E R N ZINCUWestern Zinc was located near the crossing of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and

^- the Colorado Midland Railroad. The reverbatory furnaces were in operationper iod i ca l ly during the period f rom 1914 to 1926. Building materials including the

t. f ounda t i on s and. many bricks from the reverbatory furnaces were located, with four or_ more types of f i r e bricks id en t i f i ed . A coating was noted to be present on the f i r e bricks.ii The locations of ore bins or dust bins were observed at this site. Columnar-shaped

pieces of consolidated dust were found north of the bin areas with the impression of bagi material imprinted in the hardened dust, and one piece of the consolidated dust s t i l l had

bag material attached. Figure 2-3 shows dust and bricks at the Western Zinc site. T h i si material was i d e n t i f i e d to be sampled.L

2.5 ARKANSAS VALLEY S M E L T E RIu_ The Arkansas Val l ey Smel t er remains are located in lower Cali fornia Gulch west of the^ Leadvi l l e city limits. Thi s smelter was in operation at varying production levels

discontinuously from 1879 to 1960. Much of the smelter structure still exists. Thei location of bag houses, dust chambers, roasting ovens, and vault bui ldings were

compared with historic site maps and were noted. The waste and bui ld ing materialsj noted at the site includes dust, bricks, and slag. There is evidence that the site has been^* extensively reworked a f t e r the smelter shut down. There f or e , it was not po s s ib l e toiu

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d e f i n e exact boundaries for locations of the various kinds of waste. Figure 2-4 showsroasting ovens and bricks. Figure 2-5 shows bins and a poss ible dust area.

2.6 AMERICAN S M E L T E R

The American Smelter was located on the northern bank of Cali fornia Gulch near theLa Plata Smelter. This smelting f a c i l i t y was in operation per iod i ca l ly during the periodfrom 1879 to 1893. Furnace areas were located. Evidence of waste and buildingmaterials associated with the furnaces was noted. Bricks and pos s ib le dust areas weref o u n d , and the slag p i l e was located. Figure 2-6 is a view (east) showing the location ofthe American furnaces. No s p e c i f i c areas were i d e n t i f i e d for dust sampling.

2.7 LA PLATA S M E L T E R

The La Plata Smel t er was located on Elm Street ju s t west of the Leadvi l l e city limits.The smelter was in operation p e r i o d i c a l l y from 1878 to 1900. Concrete with residue onit, which may have been a remnant of a foundat ion or part of a furnace, was found( F i g u r e 2-7). Cemented slag may have been used as f oundat i on materials. In an areawhere a historic f l o o r p l a n of the f a c i l i t y indicated the dust capture area may haveexisted, a fine-grained material (po s s i b ly du s t) was noted. However, the fine-grainedmaterial was mixed with soils and could not, on visual inspection, be i d e n t i f i e d assmelter-related dust. The roads adjacent to the site are paved with slag. Bricks wereobserved in the bottom of a pit. Substantial recent garbage, including paper, rustedmetal, and glass, was evident. It was d i f f i c u l t to visually ascertain with certainty thelocation of dust at the La Plata site, given the recent garbage and the amount of timethat has elapsed since the smelter was closed.

2.8 GRANT/UNION S M E L T E R

The Grant /Union Smel t er was located on the northern bank of Cali fornia Gulch westof Leiter Avenue. The smelter was in operation per iod i ca l ly from 1879 to 1900. Slagwas the only waste material observed at'this site. Slag information was forwarded to theDenver and Rio Grande Railroad Co. for their s lag program. There was slight evidenceof old f oundat ions in Cal i fornia Gulch. A new building is present on the site and other22909/R8.2 04-2S-92/RPT/2 2-3

! evidence of recent construction and reworking of the area was observed. As a result ofthese activities which occurred subsequent to the close of the Grant/Union smelter,

p original waste locations are not evident. Other than slag, no waste related to the^ Grant/Union Smel t er could be i d e n t i f i e d .f ~L. 2.9 L E A D V I L L E S M E L T E R

i The Leadvi l l e Smel t er was located jus t west of the Leadvil l e city limits on Elm Stree t .The smelter operated per iod i ca l ly from 1877 to 1880. No visible evidence of this smelter

i or associated structures exists. On the basis of the historic descript ion of the sitelocation, the former smelter location appears to currently be occupied by houses and a

~ f o o t b a l l f i e l d . Some pieces of slag were observed along the road in a vacant area.

2.10 HARRISON R E D U C T I O N WORKSLThe Hamson Reduction Works was located on the corner of Harrison and Elm Stree t s .

^ The smelter operated per iod i ca l ly from 1877 to 1893. Wastes that were associated with_ this f a c i l i t y were noted during the site visit. Slag p i l e s as shown in Figure 2-8 were

located. Also, po s s i b l e locations of furnaces were observed along with dust bins andassociated f ine, dusty material. A d j a c e n t to the furnace locations, ash or dust p i l e s and

i small s lag p i l e s were observed. Extensive reworking of the area subsequent to closure** of the f a c i l i t y has made it unclear whether the f eatures and wastes observed are in theirp original posi t ions, or whether the dust and slag have been scattered and mixed aroundL, the site. Slag information was forwarded to the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Co.

for their s lag program.\u_ 2.11 A D E L A I D E S M E L T E RL The A d e l a i d e S m e l t e r was located at the head of Stray Horse Gulch on Iron Hill near, the A d e l a i d e Mine. T h i s smelter began operation in January 1879 and terminated

operation in August 1879. Brick walls, pos s ib ly associated with the smelter foundat ions ,P and p i t s were noted. Minor amounts of s lag were observed at this site. F i e l d evidence•"• did not clearly establish this as the smelter location because it is also po s s ib l e that,4** -

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. subsequent to closing and dismantl ing the smelter, the site may have been buriedbeneath mine waste f rom the A d e l a i d e Mine.

^ 2.12 LITTLE CHIEF S M E L T E R

L. The L i t t l e Chief S m e l t e r was located on Fryer Hill immediately above the Li t t l e Chie f^ Mine. The smelter operated from July 1879 to early 1880. L i t t l e evidence remains of^ the smelter. No f ire bricks remain. The historic records indicate that the f oundat i on

was sinking, so the smelter was torn down. Small slag p i l e s were observed in the! location believed to be where the blast furnaces had been located. The most obvious

waste associated with this site is slag. Other types of waste or building materials were~ not clearly evident.Ld

•- 2.13 OHIO AND MISSOURI S M E L T E RLThe Ohio and Missouri Smel t e r was located in Big Evans Gulch. The smelter was

*_ operated intermit tent ly f rom June 1879 to December 1880. L i t t l e evidence of theexistence of a smelter was observed. An angular group of rocks, which may have been

, a furnace site, was observed on the northeast end of the area. S l a g and two small pit scontaining small amounts of brick building material debris were noted.

i^ 2.14 C U M M I N G S A N D F I N N S M E L T E R

t- The Cummings and Finn S m e l t e r was located in Big Evans Gulch. Thi s was a smallsmelt ing operation, operated per iod i ca l ly from July 1879 to 1885. Only slag remains as

L evidence of this smelter's existence at this site.t 2.15 GAGE-HAGAMAN S M E L T E R

i The Gage-Hagaman Smel t e r was located in Big Evans Gulch and operated from May1879 to December 1880. The location of this smelter is on private property, with noaccess p ermi t t ed; there fore , this site was not visited. From a distance, no evidence of

*• the smelter could be seen. With concurrence of EPA auditors, and given that ther smelter was of similar capacity to the Cummings and Finn S m e l t e r and operated for aL

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! brief period of time, it was decided to use historical information to map the site locationfor purposes of modeling historic smelter emissions.

^ 2.16 THE R A Y M O N D , SHERMAN AND MCKAY S M E L T E R

*- The Raymond, Sherman and McKay Smel t er was located in Big Evans Gulch. The— smelter was in operation from July 1879 to December 1879. Thi s smelter was also on^ private proper ly with no access permitted. As with the Gage-Hagaman smelter, the site_ reconnaissance used information from the historical literature review to locate this site.

.' Given that the smelter was of similar size to Cummings and Finn and operated for avery brief period of time, it is assumed that it generated l i t t l e waste that would s t i l l be

' evident 112 years a f t e r closure of the fac i l i ty . With concurrence of EPA auditors, it wasdecided to use historical information to map the f a c i l i t y for modeling purposes.

L 2.17 ELGIN S M E L T E R

The Elgin Smel t e r was located on Big Evans Gulch. The smelter was in operationp e r i o d i c a l l y f rom 1879 to 1903. Several features associated with the smelter f a c i l i t y andsmelter waste were noted at this site. Red bricks and f i r e bricks, which were bui ldingmaterials associated with foundat ions and furnaces, were observed. The area of thefurnaces was noted. The lower foundat ion area is likely to have been the location forthe engines and pumps. Thick rock walls associated with the gas house location wereobserved at the end of the furnace area. The area shown on historic plans to be thelocation of the dust bins was observed (Figure 2-9), and in that area, dust with bagmaterial was observed and photographed. Fine-grained, water-cooled slag material wasobserved at both ends of the site.

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i Woodward-Clyde Consultant*^

EAST FORKA R K A N S A S R I V E R

U T T L E E V A N S G U L C HR A Y M O N D , S H E R M A N ,f t M c K A Y S M E L T E R

ARKANSAS RIVER /

A R K A N S A S V A L L E Y

C A L I F O R N I A G U L C H

BLACK CLOUD SHAFT

A P P R O X I M A T E B O U N D A R YOF CALIFORNIA GULCHD R A I N A G E B A S I N

\VARKANSAS \RIVER v

IOWA GULCHJob No. : 22909EPrepared by: M.R.R.Dat«: 4 / 2 2 / 9 2

S M E L T E R S I T E I N V E S T I G A T I O NH I S T O R I C S M E L T E R L O C A T I O N S

FIG. 2-1

Color P h o t o ( s )

The f o l l o w i n g photos contain colorthat does not appear in the scanned

images.To view the actual images please

contact the S u p e r f u n d Record Centerat (303) 312-6473.

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Figure 2-2. Malta Smelter, bricks and mortar

Figure 2-3. Western Zinc, dust and bricks

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L Figure 2-4. Arkansas Valley Smelter, roasting ovens and bricks

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L Figure 2-5. Arkansas Val l ey Smelter, bins and poss ible dust area.

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Figure 2-6. American Smelter, view along furnace locations

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Figure 2-7. La Plata Smelter, foundation material

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Figure 2-8. Harrison Reduction Works slag

Figure 2-9. Elgin Smelter, area of dust bins and observed dust.

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3.0S I T E R E C O N N A I S S A N C E S U M M A R Y

The reconnaissance of seventeen smelter sites in Cali fornia Gulch, Leadvil le , Coloradowas conducted by WCC personnel and EPA auditors f o l l o w i n g a historical review ofeach site. A t t e m p t s were made to visit all of the seventeen smelter locations. F i f t e e n

I sites were visited. Two of the sites were not visited due to restricted access. Thef o l l o w i n g smelter sites were observed to have some form of smelter-related waste and/or

. bui ld ing materials.

• Mal ta S m e l t e r - bricks, minor amounts of slag*** • Lizzie Smel t er - a few bricks

• Western Zinc - f ir e bricks, hardened dust• Arkansas Val l ey Smelter - dust, bricks, slag• American Smel t er - dust , bricks slag• La Plata Smel t er - bricks, slag, po s s ib l e dust• Grant /Union Smel t er - s lag• Harrison Reduction Works - slag, possible dustv*~ • A d e l a i d e Smel t er - minor amounts of slag

I • L i t t l e Chie f S m e l t e r - minor amounts of slag• Ohio and Missouri Smel t e r - slag, bricks

i • Cummings and Finn Smelter - slag>^ • Elgin S m e l t e r - dust, bricks, slag

C-- Several of the sites had l i t t l e or no remaining physical evidence, except for minoramounts of slag, due to their small size, short-lived operations, subsequent activities in

i 1 the areas in question, and the number of years that has e lapsed since they last processedore.

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