Dames & Moore, 1999 - USDA Forest Service

Dames & Moore, 1999 - USDA Forest Service Dames & Moore, 1999 - USDA Forest Service

13.01.2013 Views

The campground is used by backpackers and visitors to the area. An abandoned road and bridge crossing, which likely provided access to the mill area and Honeymoon Heights, exists to the southeast of the campground. Based on field observations, it appears that waste rock may have been used as road ballast during the road construction. No distressed vegetation was observed in the area. A monitoring well (HBKG-2) was observed adjacent to the road. 4.1.2.8 Honeymoon Heights Referring to Figure 4.1-3, the Honeymoon Heights area is situated to the south and west of the mill building and tailings piles. The area consists of six mine portals, starting from the lower levels and progressing upward, at the 1 100, 1000, 800,700,550, and 300 levels. These mine portals were apparently not used after the main access and ventilator tunnels were established at the 1500 level in 1937 by Howe Sound Company. Mine rock piles are associated with all of the mine portals. The Honeymoon Heights mine workings were apparently not utilized for fill-scale ore removal and transport, but, primarily for exploratory purposes. The total quantity of waste rock at the portals of these workings appears to be significantly less than for either the west or eait waste rock piles near the abandoned mill facility. An abandoned road generally connects the rock piles in the Honeymoon Heights area with the road that runs to the 1500-level main mine portal; the road is maintained as a hiking trail by Holden Village. A system of mostly abandoned trails, apparently utilized by the miners, exists throughout the area to access the different mine portals. An abandoned mining camp is situated near the 1 100-level portal; several decomposed wood buildings and stone foundations remain in the area. Isolated remnants of the mining operations dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s in the areas of the mine openings, including metal tracks for ore cars, cables associated with a pre-existing tram system which connected the 1100 level to a location near the existing ballfield area, a water storage tank, and other miscellaneous items were observed. Several other shallow mine workings are present southwest of the abandoned Honeymoon Heights village and are documented to not be associated with Howe Sound Company; the workings were established by a former associate of J.H. Holden by the hame of Patterson; the workings are not connected to the Holden Mine underground network (Adams, 1981). Several exploratory adits exist along the strike of the ore body exposed at the surface; all of these workings are shallow, exploratory in nature, and are not connected to the underground mine system. 4.1.3 Site Subsurface Features I 4.1.3.1 Underground Mine Workings Due to safety concerns, the underground mine was not physically accessed during the RI. However, an assessment of the mine maps generated during and after the mine operation was conducted. The dates of the mine maps ranged from as early as 1908 to 1957, at the time of closure. The maps indicated a total of 14 primary mine levels, and approximately the same number of secondary levels. Referling to Figure 4.1-5b, two cross-sections have been developed through the underground mine; cross-section H-H' is parallel to the strike of the ore body, and cross-section I-I' is perpendicular to the strike of the ore body. Figure 4.1-5c displays Section H-H' and shows the extent and condition of the underground mined openings; or "stapes," as well as the geology described in Section 4.2.3.2. Figure 4.1-5d displays G:\WPDATA\OOJ\REPORTSWOLDEN-2UUCl-O.DOC 17693-005-019Uuly 19.1999,4:51 PM;DRAFT FWAL RI REPORT '

Section I-I' and shows the six tunnels which accessed the ore body and stopes. The levels of the mine were numbered based on the approximate elevation below an exposure of the ore body outcrop shown on Figure 4.1-5b; in other words, the exposure of the ore body is the hypothetical "0" level, with the 300-level being 300 feet lower, the 550-level being 550 feet lower, and so on to the 2500-level. The northing and easting grid system noted on the maps were established utilizing the general strike of the ore body as the northing line. The six levels of the mine with portals to the surface, as well as the most laterally extensive lower level (2325), depicted on Figures 4.1-5c and 4.1-5d, were digitized utilizing the underground mine maps provided. Figure 4.1-5b shows all seven levels with the associated stopes and mine workings superimposed. However, Figures 4.1-6 through 4.1 - 13 show the extent of each individual mine level (300, 550, 700, 800, 1000, 1 100, 1500, and 2325, respectively. The map utilized to generate Figure 4.1-5c displayed the dates of mining for each of the stopes. The upper workings (300-, 550-, and 700-levels) (Figures 4.1-6 through 4.1-8) were apparently developed during the early periods of the exploratory efforts. The lower workings (800-, 1000-, and I 100-levels) (Figures 4.1-9 through 4.1- 1 1) were developed during the period from approximately 1920 until 1937, and included several miles of tunnels. This corresponds to the relatively larger sizes of mine rock piles associated with the lower workings. All of the portals, except for the 300 level, were timbered. When Howe Sound purchased the mine, they increased access to the underground mine workings by installing a primary tunnel at the 1500 level. Referring to Figures 4.1-5b and 4.1-12, the opening to this tunnel was constructed near and to the west of the uppermost level of the mill building. The tunnel was initially installed by timber supporting the approximately 60 to 70 feet of glacial soil encountered at the portal. The remainder of the tunnel was drilled and blasted with limited rock bolt support to intersect the ore body approximately 2,500 feet to the southwest. A track was placed on the floor of the tunnel to allow the use of ore cars which transported the non-mineralized rock to the west and east waste rock piles. The tunnel was driven at an incline of approximately one-half percent to take advantage of gravity when the ore cars were filled in the mine (McWilliarns, 1958). Once the ore body was intersected, the tunnel turned and continued to the northwest approximately another 2,500 feet before daylighting out to the west at the 1500-level ventilator portal (Figure 4.1-12). The maps indicate that the last approximately 300 feet of the tunnel was timbered through glacial soil. This tunnel was utilized to provide ventilation throughout the mine. Air was piped in through the 1500-level main portal and then exhausted through the 1500-level ventilator portal; an 8-foot-diameter fan was originally installed in the opening (Edrnond, 1972). Based on a civil survey completed as part of the RI, the ventilator portal was found to be approximately 20 feet higher than the 1500-level main portal. This indicates that the one-half percent grade continues for the entire length of the tunnel from the 1500-level main portal. The majority of the mine tunnels at the different levels were generally constructed outside the ore body, within the surrounding rock which, based on the mine maps, had relatively low concentrations of economic minerals. The rock removed during the construction of the tunnels, after the 1500-level main tunnel was completed, was generally placed in two piles developed to the west and east of the mill. The tunnels within rock were constructed without timber support; however, rock bolts were utilized where necessary. The 1500-level was utilized to explore the lateral extent of.the ore body; the maps reviewed indicate that the G:\WPDATA\OOJ\REPORTSWOLDEN-2WW.DOC 17693-005-019Uuly 19. 1999:4:51 PM:DRAFT FINAL RI REPORT

The campground is used by backpackers and visitors to the area. An abandoned road and bridge crossing,<br />

which likely provided access to the mill area and Honeymoon Heights, exists to the southeast of the<br />

campground. Based on field observations, it appears that waste rock may have been used as road ballast<br />

during the road construction. No distressed vegetation was observed in the area. A monitoring well<br />

(HBKG-2) was observed adjacent to the road.<br />

4.1.2.8 Honeymoon Heights<br />

Referring to Figure 4.1-3, the Honeymoon Heights area is situated to the south and west of the mill building<br />

and tailings piles. The area consists of six mine portals, starting from the lower levels and progressing<br />

upward, at the 1 100, 1000, 800,700,550, and 300 levels. These mine portals were apparently not used after<br />

the main access and ventilator tunnels were established at the 1500 level in 1937 by Howe Sound Company.<br />

Mine rock piles are associated with all of the mine portals. The Honeymoon Heights mine workings were<br />

apparently not utilized for fill-scale ore removal and transport, but, primarily for exploratory purposes. The<br />

total quantity of waste rock at the portals of these workings appears to be significantly less than for either<br />

the west or eait waste rock piles near the abandoned mill facility.<br />

An abandoned road generally connects the rock piles in the Honeymoon Heights area with the road that runs<br />

to the 1500-level main mine portal; the road is maintained as a hiking trail by Holden Village. A system of<br />

mostly abandoned trails, apparently utilized by the miners, exists throughout the area to access the different<br />

mine portals.<br />

An abandoned mining camp is situated near the 1 100-level portal; several decomposed wood buildings and<br />

stone foundations remain in the area. Isolated remnants of the mining operations dating back to the late<br />

1800s and early 1900s in the areas of the mine openings, including metal tracks for ore cars, cables<br />

associated with a pre-existing tram system which connected the 1100 level to a location near the existing<br />

ballfield area, a water storage tank, and other miscellaneous items were observed. Several other shallow<br />

mine workings are present southwest of the abandoned Honeymoon Heights village and are documented to<br />

not be associated with Howe Sound Company; the workings were established by a former associate of J.H.<br />

Holden by the hame of Patterson; the workings are not connected to the Holden Mine underground network<br />

(Adams, 1981). Several exploratory adits exist along the strike of the ore body exposed at the surface; all of<br />

these workings are shallow, exploratory in nature, and are not connected to the underground mine system.<br />

4.1.3 Site Subsurface Features I<br />

4.1.3.1 Underground Mine Workings<br />

Due to safety concerns, the underground mine was not physically accessed during the RI. However, an<br />

assessment of the mine maps generated during and after the mine operation was conducted. The dates of the<br />

mine maps ranged from as early as 1908 to 1957, at the time of closure.<br />

The maps indicated a total of 14 primary mine levels, and approximately the same number of secondary<br />

levels. Referling to Figure 4.1-5b, two cross-sections have been developed through the underground mine;<br />

cross-section H-H' is parallel to the strike of the ore body, and cross-section I-I' is perpendicular to the strike<br />

of the ore body. Figure 4.1-5c displays Section H-H' and shows the extent and condition of the underground<br />

mined openings; or "stapes," as well as the geology described in Section 4.2.3.2. Figure 4.1-5d displays<br />

G:\WPDATA\OOJ\REPORTSWOLDEN-2UUCl-O.DOC<br />

17693-005-019Uuly 19.<strong>1999</strong>,4:51 PM;DRAFT FWAL RI REPORT<br />

'

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