Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Chemical Speciation In Silver Bow And Blacktail Creeks: Implications For Bioavailability And Restoration, Johnathan Feldman

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Silver Bow and Blacktail Creeks, contaminated with toxic elements from mining, present a need for remediation and restoration. Trace elements are present in elevated concentrations, particularly copper. Determining element speciation will allow informed consideration of effective restoration strategies, by providing a foundation for assessing bioavailability and toxicity. The three goals are: determine how speciation varies between seasons and sites in four impacted sites from the greater Butte Area One, an impacted downstream site known as Santa, and a control site on Upper Blacktail Creek known as Blacktail; how these variations influence bioavailability and toxicity; and what causes these variations. Total …

Supergene Mineralization Of The Continental Pit, Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana, Kyle Eastman

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Butte porphyry Cu-Mo-Ag deposit has been considerably altered by supergene processes that enriched Cu and Ag, and mobilized other metals. Supergene enrichment provided early miners with excellent ore grades, and contributes significantly to current mining operations in Butte. The Continental Pit exhibits the classic leached and enriched vertical zonation that is common in near-surface porphyry systems around the world. Although studied by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company during the mid-20th century, significant and economically relevant questions remain regarding this deposit’s supergene heavy metal geochemistry and its relationship to the local hydrology and tectonic history.

This thesis investigates the paragenesis …