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Source: Climax Molybdenum Company
| The Climax Molybdenum Company, a subsidiary of AMAX
Inc., operated an underground molybdenum mine in Colorado near Berthoud Pass. This mine
and mill, referred to as Urad, closed in 1974. The resultant valley and surface areas were
seriously disturbed by the hardrock mining operation. The following photograph shows Urad
prior to any reclamation activity. Pictured are the upper tailing area, the mill
processing facilities, the lower tailing area, and the lower mill water pond. |
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There were several significant challenges facing the reclamation of
this mine. Two sandlike disposal ponds, totaling about 125 acres, were very difficult to
work with in the attempt to return the area to a natural state. The following photograph
shows ponds with industrial buildings in the foreground. Reclamation required the removal
of these buildings.
In addition, the tailing areas were prone to water and wind erosion if they were not
secured. As can been seen in the image, indentations in the sloping tailing area suggest
the drainage of water. Due to the fact that this area was so unprotected from the
environment, it was understandable how susceptible it could be to wind damage. |
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Not only was the tailing difficult to revegetate, but its elevation
provided a challenge as well. At 10,400 feet, the growing season only lasts six to eight
weeks per year. The summers are very dry, and the winters bring about freezing wind.
After careful research, the company decided to use waste products in the reclamation
process. 1.5 million tons of rock, 4,200 tons of dry sewage sludge, and 24,000 cubic yards
of wood chips were used. A neighboring mine provided the waste rock to stabilize the
tailing area and provide a growth medium for vegetation. The use of this development rock
was beneficial to the mine from which it was taken, due to the fact that it greatly
reduced a disturbance at that area. The following photo shows the spreading of the waste
rock at depths of three to twenty feet over the tailing. |
| The wood chips used were the product of a nearby sawmill facility and
would normally have been disposed of by burning or dumping. The wood chips were spread on
the tailing surfaces and then mixed into the waste rock and sewage sludge. AMAX was one of
the first companies to find a use for Denver's sewage sludge, which normally would have
been disposed of at a landfill. This photo shows the process by which the three waste
products were mixed and spread out over the tailings to improve the condition of the soil.
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The area was then seeded with various grasses suited to live at high
altitudes. The areas were irrigated during the first growing season to ensure the
establishment and germination of the seeds. More than 39,000 trees and shrubs were planted
since 1974. Growth of the vegetation was slow due to the harsh and extreme climate. In
addition, a flood bypass system was constructed.
Numerous research projects were undertaken to study the challenges of reclamation at high
elevations. Today, the resultant reservoir is open to the public for recreation and
fishing. The Colorado Division of Wildlife and AMAX stocks it with trout. The following
photographs depict "before and after" views of the mine site. |
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It took about seven years and $7 million dollars to restore the land to a natural
state. The analysis of this reclamation project illustrates how resourcefulness,
dedication, and patience pay off in the long run for the company, the community, and the
environment.
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