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<br /> <br />cyanide. In addition, spark source mass spectrometry was used to <br />characterize the overall elemental composition of the waste rock. <br />There were large changes in the nutrient regime of the crushed rock growth <br />medium without amendments compared to the crushed rock with additions of <br />wood chips and sewage sludge. Dramatic increases in organic matter (0.7 to <br />2.4 percent), nitrate-nitrogen (54 to 137 ug/g), phosphorus (3 to 179 ug/g), <br />and zinc (14 to 100 ug/g) were found soon after addition of the amendments. <br />Mass spectrometry showed that of the 63 elements analyzed for, ~:5 were more <br />than twice as abundant in the waste rock as in native soil. Of these 25 <br />elements, five are considered to be potentially very toxic. These five are <br />beryllium, cobalt, lead, nickel, and tin. It was not determined to what <br />extent these elements were available to plants; it is likely that <br />availability is low, since the waste rock is relatively unweathered and most <br />of these elements are probably tied up in minerals. However, a~ weathering <br />of the waste rock continues, availability may increase. A continuing <br />program of periodic sampling and analysis of growth media and plant tissue <br />is planned for every three years. <br />9.1.11 Soil, Tailing, and Vegetation Monitoring in the Area Surrounding the <br />Henderson i ite an ai ing on <br />Samples of soils and tailing from the area of the Henderson Mill and tailing <br />were collected, analyzed, and compared for elemental composition. soil and <br />vegetation samples were collected in 1979 from the same sites that were <br />sampled in 1976 to facilitate an evaluation of possible changes in elemental <br />composition. <br />Comparing soil and tailing, it was found that of 63 elements investigated, <br />concentrations of 19 elements were substantially higher in trailing and <br />concentrations of 17 elements were substantially higher in soil. Elements <br />having high concentrations in the tailing were bismuth, fluorine, lead, <br />lithmim, molybdenum, selenium, and sulfur. Highest among tho~~e elements <br />more concentrated in soil were boron, chromium, cobalt, phosphorous, <br />strontium, and vanadium. <br />19 <br />