Characteristics of Leach Solution in Sierrita Ponds

On a recnt trip to ADEQ in Phoenix, this report surfaced in one of the files. This sheds new light on a problem that it was suspected was caused by the mines "Hazaredous Waste Incidents" that seemed to show up in the aquifer. Everyone argued that the solution which is "only" a level of 3,000 mg/ltr Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and almost 2,000 mg/ltr for Sulfate could not show up in the aquifer--even if it were a 5,000 gallon "spill." When you look at the figures below you will see the horrendous TDS and Sulfate levels of the "leach solution" which is listed as the spilled contaminant. See "Hazardous Materials Incidents". Then look at the Community Water Company water quality data for the time of the spills. See Data from Community Water Wells. Because Communtiy Water checks its water quality only quarterly, or every six months, or even annually (depending on how old the well is), it is difficult to get an exact reading--and we do not know the percentage of sulfuric acid in each spill, except in one case it reads 93% sulfuric acid, and sometimes it reads "leach solution." So now that we know what the leach solution is, and the sulfate levels, the indication is clear why there are spikes in Community water data. Worse still, we are not notified when the spills occur.

Facility/Sample Location

Headwall No.1
(D-02)

Bailey Lake
(D-03)

B-Pond

(D-07)

Headwall No. 3
(D-09)

Headwall No. 5
(D-12)

Duval Canal
(D-29)

SX-3 Drain Pond
(D-31)

SX-1 Drain Pond
(D-33)

SX-1 Tank Farm Pond
 (D-34)

Reclaim
Pond

D Pond
(D-45)

Headwall #2
(D-46)

Date Sampled

4/22/98

4/22/98

4/22/98

4/22/98

4/22/98

9/15/98

4/15/99

4/15/99

4/15/99

4/15/99

6/30/98

9/28/98

Conductance (umhos/cm)

14,800

16,300

8,270

13,100

5,040

2,425

 

629

104,000

3450

2540

25,940

pH, field (su.)

2

2

2.88

3

4.72

7.34

     

10.49

 

2.11

pH, lab (su.)

2.2

2.1

3

2.4

4.3

6.9

1.8

7

1.4

10.4

6.3

2.4

Total Dissolved Solids (mg/ltr)

47,600

47,500

15,900

41,200

9.890

2140

3870

629

37,000

3270

2270

48,000

Sulfate (mg/ltr)

15,300

23,000

9280

24,100

5600

1220

3310

190

35,600

1820

1240

31,100

Arsenic (mg/ltr)

0.15

0.15

0.13

<0.1

0.08

ND

0.03

0.06

ND

0.052

0.049

ND

Calcium (mg/ltr)

526

522

667

570

518

541

125

68.3

141

645

432

533

Magnesium(mg/ltr)

3740

3680

1380

3580

1070

82.9

95.1

9

176

0.5

32.4

3570

Sodium (mg/ltr)

400

405

383

440

393

144

98.4

60.9

147

276

53.1

435

Potassium(mg/ltr)

55

65

11

45

17

38.9

19.2

 

490

59.3

19.2

52

Chloride (mg/ltr)

3340

3540

2050

3470

51

92

140

16

620

320

170

3090

Fluoride (mg/ltr)

270

260

78

200

60

1.4

6

0.9

240

1.3

1.5

200

Nitrate (mg/ltr)

5.5

6.8

0.03

9.4

250

1.58

2.38

 

3.6

2.23

0.33

11

Beryllium (mg/ltr)

1.08

1.06

0.312

0.98

0.81

0.01

0.0008

0.0008

0.03

ND

ND

0.882

Cadmium (mg/ltr)

1.05

1.17

0.522

1.02

0.133

0.015

0.0181

0.0022

0.0392

0.014

0.046

1.11

Chromium (mg/ltr)

1.4

1.1

0.1

0.9

ND

ND

0.36

ND

ND

ND

ND

1

Cobalt (mg/ltr)

10.5

10.7

3.6

9.5

1.47

0.06

0.21

ND

15.3

ND

ND

10.1

Copper (mg/ltr)

         

3.2

845

55.3

5700

 

0.51

 

Iron (mg/ltr)

743

710

282

411

0.13

49.9

49.5

2.72

342

ND

0.23

612

Lead (mg/ltr)

0.012

0.023

0.015

0.021

0.006

0.136

0.0627

0.041

0.298

ND

0.002

ND

Manganese(mg/ltr)

486

501

227

465

60.6

6.65

9.27

0.35

23.1

ND

2.53

476

Molybdenum(mg/ltr)

1.2

1

>0.5

0.8

0.25

0.6

0.26

0.07

2

3.71

11.3

 


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