Environmental Assessment of Arsenic and Mercury Levels at the Garfield Mill Site, Calico, California
Date of Award
9-2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Department
Geological Sciences
First Reader/Committee Chair
Erik Melchiorre
Abstract
Environmental impacts of mining at Calico, California, are poorly understood in comparison to the details of its history of silver production. Human health risks associated with arsenic from the lode rock, as well as mercury from the silver milling process, include central nervous system damage, organ failure, and death. To quantify the potential human health risk and manage remediation of this site, tailings from the Garfield Mill site were digitally mapped and chemically analyzed by portable x-ray fluorescence, which permitted volumetric estimates of total mill tailings and the arsenic and mercury budget, as well as identification of anomalies in the distribution of these elements within the tailings deposit. Final products include a high-resolution digital orthomosaic map showing the extent of the tailings deposit, giving contours of arsenic and mercury distribution and identifying areas of high concern for future remediation. The information gathered during this study will be of immense use to the city of Barstow, providing a basis for future public health studies and assessments of human health risks in the area.
Recommended Citation
Thorp, Steven Gregory, "Environmental Assessment of Arsenic and Mercury Levels at the Garfield Mill Site, Calico, California" (2019). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 922.
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/922
Geochemical Data collected via Niton field XRF
Additional Files
Samples to day 12 no standards.xlsx (288 kB)Geochemical Data collected via Niton field XRF
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