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The quartz veins have four principal minerals: <br />- galena (PbS) <br />- sphalerite (ZnS) <br />- chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) <br />- Tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) with a variant freibergite which has some silver (Ag) replacing some of <br />the copper. <br />3. Ground Water/ Mine Water <br />3.1 Background Information <br />Ground water in the Revenue Mine area is almost completely supplied by infiltration of high <br />altitude surface water seeping through fracture systems in the area. No sedimentary aquifers are <br />found in this area. Additionally the ground water regime is strongly influenced by historical mining <br />activity in Yankee Boy Basin and throughout the St. Sophia Ridge. Since documentation of pre -law <br />mines is incomplete, it is not possible to completely list all of the ground water sources and flows. <br />From historical documentation of the Revenue/Virginius mining activity in the area, it is known <br />that only the original Virginius mining area is located above and connected to the Revenue tunnel. <br />Other mines are located above the Revenue tunnel, such as the Atlas Mine, but do not connect. <br />Most of the excavations that are not documented are below the Revenue level. <br />Within the Sneffels Creek drainage lays the Atlas Mine, Torpedo Eclipse Mine, Bimetallist Mine, <br />Virginius Mine, Humboldt Mine, Smuggler Mine, and the Mountain Top Mine, among others. The <br />area has been a hot bed of silver mining since the late 1800s, and the Revenue Mine in particular has <br />been the focal point of this activity. Substantial pre -law waste piles can be found throughout the <br />area, including a sizeable dump immediately north and west of the Revenue portal. <br />To understand the current groundwater regime at the Revenue Mine, it is important to describe a <br />brief history of the past mining in the area. <br />Mining in this area started with the staking of the Virginius claim by William Feland in October of <br />1876. This area is located at an approximate elevation of 12,900 feet and approximately 7600 feet <br />southwest of the Revenue portal. See Map C -5 for the location of the Virginius and the Revenue <br />Revenue Mine August 2012 G -3 <br />