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P. <br />manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), zinc <br />(Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), phosphorous (P), fluoride (F), boron (B), cobalt (Co), copper <br />(Cu), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) (Deutsch, W.J., 1997). The major ion composition of water is <br />used to classify it into various types based on the dominant cations and anions (Hem, J.D., 1989). <br />For instance, if calcium and bicazbonate aze the dominant cation and anion, then the groundwater <br />would be a Ca-HC03 type. The composition of the dominant ions was displayed graphically for <br />each sampled location by several methods including ion-concentration charts, radial diagrams, <br />Stiff and trilineaz diagrams etc. as shown in the attached Figures. Results indicate that the <br />concentrations of anions and cations were low when converted to the graphics units which <br />caused significant overlap in trends. Trends in the analytical results were best observed on a <br />sample result point-by-point comparison (refer to Tables 1 and 2). <br />The purpose of this study was to determine the flow pathways within the mine site that aze linked <br />to the waste rock toe seeps. There were three hypothesized sources of the seep water which <br />included the underground sump, the stormwater sump, and the base flows from Deadman Gulch. <br />The comparison of the results by location indicate that the water quality chazacteristics of the <br />waste rock toe seeps (WRT-A and WRT-B) aze closely associated to Deadman Gulch <br />background water chemistry conditions. The analysis results of the seeps are compazable to both <br />background locations (DM-BKG and SEEP (BKG)) as opposed to the underground sump <br />location (SUMP) which contains significantly higher concentrations of all analvtes tested (Ca, <br />Fe, Me. K. Si, Na, Si etc.). Measured concentrations of all anions and cations are within the <br />same range as the background, vs. the sump results which aze consistently higher by a significant <br />mazgin. <br />The resulting water chemistry of the seeps is likely a wmbinarion of both the background water <br />chemistry and the elutriate chemistry of all the solids analyzed. The solids elutriate results were <br />all similaz. There was no single `trace' or identifying chemical signature that could help identify <br />whether a single solid type is associated with a measured seep result. It appeazs the solids all <br />contain similaz cation:anion amounts. However, the solid matrix most likely to be linked to the <br />toe seep water chemistry would be the waste rock. The ore body is physically removed by <br />significant distance from the seeps. Similazly, the stormwater sump only contains minor <br />amounts of water on a seasonal basis. The alluvium represents a thin geologic veneer that likely <br />contributes to `stormwater water chemistry' which would then be contained by the stormwater <br />sump. The seeps emerge at the toe of the waste rock dump and have likely created a <br />subterranean flow pathway at the bottom of the pile as a result of scour. The water chemistry is <br />likely to be reduced since it represents headwaters water immediately submerged within the <br />waste rock pile. This assumption is verified with the comparison of the seep results to the <br />mixing zone (DM-MZ) which demonstrates a significant gain in most of the measured <br />pazameters (and loss in pH) which is typical for a reduced pulse of water when in transition to an <br />oxidized setting. The reduced (low pH) water will scour the waste rock and liberate minerals <br />into solutes thereby creating a gain in ions. These liberation ions then equilibrate over time and <br />distance and precipitate out onto solid surfaces (as observed with the ferrcrete within the <br />channel) or colloids. This trend is also verified by comparison of the DM-MZ results to the <br />Deadman Gulch location at Highway 149. By the time the water reaches this lower-most <br />location, signicant amounts of anions and cations have precipitated out of solution. <br />The conclusion that the waste rock toe seeps aze chemically similar to background, is further <br />supported by the fact that a `physical' connectivity as evidenced by Deadman Gulch flow is <br />cleazly linked to the presence of the seeps. To clarify, the underground sump is constantly <br />Page 11 of 16 <br />