The Summitville Mine Site was listed for cleanup under the Federal Superfund program on May 31, 1994. Since that time, several remedial activities have been completed. The cyanide formerly contained within the heap leach pad (HLP) has been treated and detoxified. Mine waste piles have been contoured, capped and revegetated.
| City | Rio Grande County |
|---|---|
| County | Rio Grande County |
| State | Colorado |
| Coordinates | 37.42392, -106.59849 |
Summitville Mine is a federal Superfund site in Colorado. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.
Current status: Construction complete. Physical construction of the cleanup remedy is complete, though long-term monitoring and institutional controls typically continue for years or decades. Groundwater treatment systems, for example, often run long after surface cleanup finishes.
EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including aluminum, aluminum oxide, arsenic. Contamination has been detected in sediment, leachate, groundwater, surface water, solid waste, soil.
If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.