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Full-Text Articles in Earth Sciences
Application Of Copper And Zinc Isotopes To Fingerprint Metal Sources And Identify Attenuation Mechanisms In The Abandoned Waldorf Mine Area, Clear Creek County, Colorado, Suzan Aranda Luna
Application Of Copper And Zinc Isotopes To Fingerprint Metal Sources And Identify Attenuation Mechanisms In The Abandoned Waldorf Mine Area, Clear Creek County, Colorado, Suzan Aranda Luna
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Acid rock drainage (ARD) is caused by the oxidative weathering of sulfide minerals. Sulfur is oxidized by dissolved oxygen or Fe(III) and sulfate ions, metals, and protons are released into the environment. Hence, the pH of nearby water and soils often decreases in response to ARD while metal concentrations increase. Because a large part of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado are highly mineralized (i.e., the Colorado Mineral Belt), ARD is a serious problem in this region. Moreover, the many abandoned mining areas in the Rocky Mountains that include waste rock piles, tailings impoundments, and surface disturbances add to the problem …