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Re: Approval letter for the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Revised Draft Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: UR-12 Site Evaluation Summary Report (dated December 9, 2025)
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Recovery of High Energy-Value Materials from Mine Wastewater
No full textThe increasing global demand for high-energy-value materials (HEVM), such as rare earth elements (REEs), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and lithium (Li), coupled with their limited availability and environmental concerns associated with traditional mining methods, necessitates the development of alternative and sustainable recovery strategies. Wastewater streams from industrial processes, mining operations, and electronic waste treatment represent untapped reservoirs of these valuable materials. Research is proposed to develop sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable methods for selectively recovering HEVM from mine wastewater (Berkeley Pit, Montana). Two innovative approaches, the adsorption process using functionalized adsorbent and solvent extraction (SX) using organic or hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDES), will be investigated. Resonant Vibratory Mixing (RVM) technology will be introduced for the enhancement of slow adsorption kinetics and to improve contact time in SX. For the adsorption process, different types of biochar produced from local biomass sources will be used, and it will leverage the unique surface chemistry and porosity of modified and unmodified biochar to selectively capture HEVM. Surface characterization of biochar (using Zeta Potential, SEM, FTIR, TGA, and CHN) will be the foremost part of the research. For the SX process, selective separation of HEVM will be the primary objective using the organic extractant Cyanex 272 or HDES. RVM technology will be used to enhance mass transfer in both adsorption and SX processes, potentially reducing time and improving the recovery of targeted HEVM. The expected end goal will include the development of optimized biochar adsorbents with enhanced selectivity for REEs, Cu, Ni, and Co, with the establishment of optimal operating parameters for RVM for both adsorption and SX by developing a predictive model. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of both recovery technologies will also be an inevitable part of the research to assess the economic feasibility, profitability, and environmental impact. The research will contribute to circular economy principles by transforming waste mine water of Berkeley Pit into valuable resource recovery opportunities while addressing critical supply chain and national security issues
A GEOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE PHILIPSBURG MINING DISTRICT, GRANITE COUNTY, MONTANA
No full textThe Philipsburg district, renowned for its rich mining history, has contributed significantly to Montana\u27s mineral production, ranking as the state\u27s second-most productive district. Active from 1865 to the 1980s, it yielded an impressive array of Ag (50-60 million oz), with notable outputs of Au, Zn, Pb, Cu, and battery-grade MnO2. The district features Cordilleran polymetallic veins, some of which are along bedding in Mississippian and Devonian limestone, and others are steeply dipping quartz veins in silicate-rich sedimentary rocks and in the Philipsburg batholith. The veins exhibit a district-wide mineral zonation, marked by Cu- and Ag-rich ores near granite porphyries, with increasing concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Au as the distance from the porphyries increases. The zonation is akin to Butte, Montana, and other well-studied Cordilleran polymetallic vein deposits. Veins in the Tower area contain sphalerite that fluoresces bright colors under longwave UV (365 nm) light. LA-ICP-MS analysis reveals that the fluorescence is linked to high concentrations of Cu (up to 8500 ppm), Ge (up to 580 ppm), Ga (up to 5000 ppm), In (up to 2100 ppm), W (up to 2800 ppm), and Ag (up to 100 ppm). The fluorescence coincides with a high sulfidation state as indicated by the mineral assemblage low-Fe sphalerite, enargite, and tennantite. Temperature and pressure assessments from fluid inclusions suggest vein formation occurred at 200-500 °C and at about 5-6 kilometers deep. Stable sulfur isotope values near 0‰ δ34SVCDT in sulfide minerals suggest a magmatic origin for the mineralizing fluids. Two quartz-feldspar porphyry intrusions at the north of the district, and theorized to be part of the porphyry system that is the source of the polymetallic veins, were dated at ~66 Ma (U-Pb zircon). Zircon grains have trace element compositions that are consistent with the existence of a fertile Mo-Cu deposit. Although the age of the polymetallic veins could not be determined, the vein deposits are inferred to be associated with the emplacement of multiple bodies of granite porphyry concealed by the sedimentary rocks, especially below the high-sulfidation veins located in the center of the district. The potential for undiscovered porphyry Mo-Cu deposits underscores the need for further exploration in the Philipsburg district
AQUEOUS GEOCHEMISTRY DRIVES MICROBIAL CU, FE, AND ZN UPTAKE RATES IN YELLOWSTONE, A CONTINENTAL HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM
No full textMicrobial uptake of trace metal cofactors such as copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) is governed by biogeochemical processes in hydrothermal systems where metal bioavailability varies widely. In situ microbial metal uptake rates were quantified by applying metal stable isotope probing (MSIP) in the Yellowstone hydrothermal system across diverse geochemical conditions in hydrothermal springs. The findings in these studies revealed that pH exerts a dominant influence on microbial copper uptake rate, also enhanced by increased Cu²⁺ ion availability and dissolved oxygen. Microbial iron uptake, in contrast, displayed a broad tolerance to environmental variability, occurring across a pH range of 2–9 without a clear pH dependence, indicating microbial communities have evolved flexible strategies for iron acquisition under fluctuating geochemical conditions. As with copper, dissolved oxygen increased microbial Fe uptake rates. Interactions between copper and zinc uptake rates in an alkaline sulfidic spring highlighted the interconnected influence of pH, oxygen, speciation, and organic carbon on microbial metal acquisition. Copper uptake rates increased with pH and dissolved oxygen, whereas zinc uptake rates decreased and were more closely tied to zinc speciation and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Under combined Cu and Zn isotope additions, the uptake rates of both metals were enhanced, suggesting microbial co-utilization of Cu and Zn rather than competition for their uptake. Collectively, these results demonstrated that microbial metal uptake in hydrothermal systems is controlled by a complex interplay of aqueous geochemical parameters in which microbes thrive
Revised Draft Final Butte Treatment Lagoons (BTL) Groundwater Treatment System Routine Operations, Maintenance, and Monitoring (OM&M) Plan
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