Ronald C. Severson | Geology Reports

USGS1997

Distribution and mobility of molybdenum in the terrestrial environment

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential element for many plants and animals (Newton and Otsuka, 1980). Because of its chemical properties, Mo readily provides sites for reactions and catalysis in biochemical systems (Haight and Boston, 1973). It is therefore important to understand the processes that control the distribution, speciation, and behavior of Mo in the surficial environment. These processes will affect the bioavalability of Mo and ultimately its passage into the food chain. In this chapter we discuss the distribution of Mo in the terrestrial environment and examine the factors that control its mobility.

Book chapter↗

USGS1995

The biogeochemistry of wetlands in the San Luis Valley, Colorado: The effects of acid drainage from natural and mine sources

The Summitville Mine, located near the old mining town of Summitville in Rio Grande County, Colorado, operated between July 1986 and December 1992 as a large-tonnage open-pit heap-leach gold mine. During its 6 years of existence the trace metal levels in drainage water from the mine site were elevated over historical (pre-1986) levels (Moran and Wentz, 1974) due to input from three sources—heap leach water, seeps that occur throughout the mine workings, and an increase in the metal load of water coming from the old Reynolds Adit. Mine-drainage waters flow into Wightman Fork, a small tributary of the Alamosa River, which in turn flows east into the San Luis Valley. The increase in the trace metal burden of the Alamosa River watershed is of concern to farmers, land owners, and Federal and State wildlife agencies. The information presented here is largely abstracted from reports previously published (Balistrieri and others, 1995; Gough and others, 1995).

Colorado↗