locations. Chemical amendments would be added to thick (more 

 than eight inches) tailings deposits (point bars) to 

 neutralize acidity and metals, and cover soil would be placed 

 over them to function as a root-zone medium. Areas with less 

 than 6-8 inches of mine waste would be either amended and 

 reseeded or mixed through deep plowing. All areas would be 

 seeded with a mixture of species adapted to the conditions on 

 the site. Grazing restrictions would be employed to enhance 

 the stability of crucial areas along the stream channel. 



Three possible study locations varying from six to ten 

 acres have been identified. This reach of river has 

 historical fishery and water quality data and is known to 

 suffer a decline in fish numbers. The landowner supports the 

 project. Access to the site is good due to the proximity of 

 Perkins Lane Bridge and an abandoned railroad grade. 

 Detailed soil information gathered from this project will be 

 useful for project planning purposes. 



Anaconda Minerals Company Reclamation 



The Anaconda Minerals Company has undertaken several 

 reclamation projects in the Butte-Anaconda area in the last 

 three years. It has reclaimed several hundred acres using 

 cover soil, crushed limerock, straw mulch, fertilizer, and 

 grass seed. 



In Butte, AMC has reclaimed approximately 120 acres, 

 including 67 individual mine dumps, portions of the Buffalo 

 and Missoula drainages, all of the La Platta drainage, and 

 the Sherman Ballfield-South Alice dump area. It has moved 

 more than 150,000 tons of mine waste rock to the Berkeley 

 Pit. AMC has also installed 300 feet of large-dimension 

 pipe and constructed over a mile and a half of rock-and- 

 filter-lined ditches to provide controlled drainage from 

 Walkerville to the existing Butte-Silver Bow storm drain 

 system. 



On Smelter Hill in Anaconda, AMC has reclaimed approx- 

 imately 300 acres of land and developed three miles of 

 ditches. It has placed an erosion-resistant cap over the 

 old flue and moved hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of 

 material to reduce the slopes and cover the substructures of 

 demolished buildings prior to the reclamation work. At the 

 Opportunity tailings ponds system, AMC has reduced the slopes 

 of all dikes and dams, and all of the tailings have been 

 covered with at least 30 tons per acre of crushed limerock to 

 prevent blowing. 



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