CERCLA Preliminary Assessment (PA)/Site Inspection (SI)
Blue Ridge Mine
Ochoco National Forest, Oregon
CES was retained by the Ochoco National Forest (ONF) to perform a PA at the Blue Ridge Mine, a historic cinnabar mine in Crook County, Oregon. The PA included limited sampling and analysis of soil, waste rock, sediment and water samples from the mine and vicinity. Analytical results from the PA indicated that mercury exceeded the EPA PRGs in several waste rock samples. The results of the investigation prompted the ONF to conduct a SI. SI activities consisted of collecting additional soil, wasterock, sediment, plant tissue and water samples. In addition, a threatened and endangered (T&E) species assessment was prepared to determine the potential impacts the mine may have on T&E species. All analytical data and maps are being managed using the GIS platform ArcView. The investigation was performed in general accordance with CERCLA protocols and documentation requirements.

Process Water Land Application
Feasibility Study
Formation Capital Corporation
Salmon, Idaho
CES is currently conducting a land application feasibility study at the Formation Capital Corporation's Idaho Cobalt Project (ICP). Cobalt is a nationally strategic mineral. The ICP will be the only cobalt mine in the United States and the second operating cobalt mine in North America. Land application is being evaluated by CES for subsequent review under NEPA, within the EIS being completed for the mine by the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Land application is likely to be the primary water management practice to be used for this mine, and metallic constituents of concern include arsenic, copper, cobalt, nickel and zinc. This project is under special scrutiny because of its close proximity to the historic Blackbird Mine, a large site of significant metal contamination in soil, surface water and groundwater. The land application concept is promising at this site because of its potential to treat trace materials by immobilization (sorption/precipitation) in upland forest soils under careful hydraulic and water pH management.