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Opalite Mine

Summary Information
(last updated on: 2/18/2021 10:16:52 AM)
The site is an inactive mercury mine located on a patented mining claim near the southeastern corner of Oregon. Amounting to about 342 acres, the site is surrounded by public land administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), approximately 15 miles northwest of McDermitt, Nevada. The site consists of a mine pit, shaft, adits, several small exploratory prospect excavations, several waste rock piles, remains of processing facilities, and two large piles of processed ore (calcine). Elevated levels of mercury and arsenic are present at the site, as well as uncontrolled physical hazards. Current access to the site is unrestricted.
General Site Information
Site: Opalite Mine (ECSI Site ID: 2491) CERCLIS (EPA) IdSFN1002255
Project Manager: Bryn Thoms Investigative Status:Contamination Suspected
PM Phone: (541) 687-7424 NPL(National Priority Listing):No
Address: 40S/40E/S33 Is this site an Orphan?Yes
McDermitt, Is this site a brownfield?No
County: MALHEUR Action Underway or Needed: REMOVAL
Region: Eastern Region Click for more details ...  
Site Documents
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File NameCategory File Size MB Document Date Upload Date
Opalite Mine Orphan Declaration.pdf Memos 1.0464 6/2/2003 8/3/2018
Opalite_Macroinvertebrate_Survey_Oct_2004.pdf Miscellaneous 0.2999 12/6/2007
2491_Opalite_SAPS_Scoresheet_5_9_2001.pdf Miscellaneous 0.0803 7/30/2012
Opalite Site Investigation rpt, Feb. 05.pdf Reports 0.3387 10/15/2007
Final_Opalite_SI_Report_Tbls.pdf Reports 1.2800 12/6/2007
Opalite SI Report, Figures 1 - 11.pdf Reports 4.9020 9/26/2008
Opalite_SI_Report_Appendix Bpart1.pdf Reports 4.1214 10/18/2010
Opalite_SI_Report_Appendix Bpart2.pdf Reports 2.7821 10/18/2010
2491_Opalite_EPA_SI_Report_2003.pdf Reports 3.0305 4/11/2011
2491_Opalite_PreliminaryAssessment_3_12_2001.pdf Reports 2.9809 7/30/2012
Opalite_SI_Report_AppendixA-H.pdf Reports 4.2051 2/21/2013
Cordero and McDermitt Hg Mines_Interim RA Report.pdf Reports 16.2012 9/12/2011 10/1/2019
McDermitt_2012-RA Report.pdf Reports 19.4053 9/1/2012 10/1/2019
Opalite Mine 2020 TCRA Trip Report_12-31-2020 reduced.pdf Reports 9.9172 12/31/2020 1/25/2021
2491_Opalite_EPA_SQAP_2002.pdf Work Plans 4.1297 4/11/2011
Photographs

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Tailings pile at the Opalite. 2491 6-6-2000
6/6/2000
View of Opalite looking south. 2491 6-6-2000
6/6/2000
Retorts at Opalite. 2491 6-6-2000
6/6/2000
Opalite Mine. 2491 6-6-2000
6/6/2000
Site Sign 2491 3-24-2004
3/24/2004
2491 6-6-2000
6/6/2000
2491 6-6-2000
6/6/2000
Sampling at McDermitt Creek
10/1/2004
Sampling at Hot Creek
10/1/2004
Cowboy creek w/ Calcine piles in background
10/1/2004
Mercury vapor monitoring during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
Installing gate during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
Disposing highly contaminated tailings in on-site repository during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
Excavating highly contaminated tailings during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
Re-routing road around contaminated area during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
Gate and signs to detur trespass into contaminated area during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
Fencing and signs to detur trespass into contaminated area during EPA Removal 2020
2/18/2021
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Department of Environmental Quality
700 NE Multnomah Street, Suite 600 Portland, OR 97232
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m

Email: DEQInfo@deq.state.or.us | Phone: 503-229-5696 | Fax: 503-229-6124

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