Bruno Creek Tailings Impoundment
Encyclopedia
The Bruno Creek Tailings Impoundment is a tailings dam on Bruno Creek, 19 mi (31 km) southwest of Challis
in Custer County
, Idaho
. It serves to store tailings
for the nearby Thompson Creek Mine. At 550 ft (168 m) tall, it is the second tallest center-line tailings dam in the world. In 2008, Phase 8 of the mine was approved which includes a raising of the dam to 750 ft (229 m). The dam is mainly composed of cycloned-sand. Currently, the dam stores 100000000 MT (98,420,353 LT) of tailings and the raise would increase storage to 125000000 MT (123,025,442 LT). The downstream slope of the dam will be steepened from 3:1 to 2.75:1. In 1994, it was discovered that acid mine drainage
had been effecting the dam since 1987. Since seepage does occur at the dam, a system of wells was installed to monitor groundwater and a seepage return dam was constructed downstream.
Challis, Idaho
Challis is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 909 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Custer County.-History:...
in Custer County
Custer County, Idaho
Custer County is a rural mountain county located in the center of the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1881, it was named for the General Custer Mine, where gold was discovered five years earlier . The population was 4,342 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have fallen to 4,166 by 2007...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. It serves to store tailings
Tailings
Tailings, also called mine dumps, slimes, tails, leach residue, or slickens, are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction of an ore...
for the nearby Thompson Creek Mine. At 550 ft (168 m) tall, it is the second tallest center-line tailings dam in the world. In 2008, Phase 8 of the mine was approved which includes a raising of the dam to 750 ft (229 m). The dam is mainly composed of cycloned-sand. Currently, the dam stores 100000000 MT (98,420,353 LT) of tailings and the raise would increase storage to 125000000 MT (123,025,442 LT). The downstream slope of the dam will be steepened from 3:1 to 2.75:1. In 1994, it was discovered that acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...
had been effecting the dam since 1987. Since seepage does occur at the dam, a system of wells was installed to monitor groundwater and a seepage return dam was constructed downstream.