Skip to content Skip to content

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

You are here: DEC / SPAR / CSP / SPAR Online Services / Contaminated Sites Search / Site Report

Site Report: Cinnabar Creek Mercury Mine

Site Name: Cinnabar Creek Mercury Mine
Address: 25 Miles West of Kashegelok, 60 Miles South of Aniak, Aniak, AK 99557
File Number: 2565.38.001
Hazard ID: 1043
Status: Active
Staff: Brittani Mack, 9072628205 brittani.mack@alaska.gov
Latitude: 60.786030
Longitude: -158.867701
Horizontal Datum:WGS84

We make every effort to ensure the data presented here is accurate based on the best available information currently on file with DEC. It is therefore subject to change as new information becomes available. We recommend contacting the assigned project staff prior to making decisions based on this information.

Problems/Comments

Site was formerly an active mercury mine. Department of Fish and Game inspection in 1984 showed abandoned retort and retort tailings in the near vicinity of Cinnabar Creek. Surface runoff and leaching from mine and retort tailings flows directly into Cinnabar Creek. A file exists in the CERCLA filing system under Cinnabar Creek-Kuskokwim Basin. CERCLA AKD981774698. Last staff assigned was Kleweno. 1989 ADEC Preliminary Assessment Report (E&E) and Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) Trip Report in Juneau CS files.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
2/5/1990 Preliminary Assessment Approved Received Ecology and Environment Inc. September 1989 assessment report. No further action recommended under CERCLA because of absence of human receptors in site vicinity. Potential for mercury contamination may warrant further investigation by Fish and Game. Former Staff
9/30/1990 Site Added to Database Mercury contamination. Former Staff
8/9/1991 Site Number Identifier Changed Old Reckey number was 1990220904701. New number is 1990250904701, Western District now. Former Staff
5/2/2000 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Eileen Olson
2/16/2001 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Quantity Value changed to "4" and Surface Water Exposure Index Value changed to "1" based on estimated contaminated surface area from January 2001 EPA START contract report done by E&E. Bill Janes
2/16/2001 Update or Other Action Reviewed 1/01 EPA START contract report. Sediment contamination throughout site (mercury, arsenic); elevated concentrations of metals in water samples too. Background water and sediment samples also showed hits so this needs to be looked at closely. Soil contamination estimated at greater than 1 acre. Wetlands adjacent to site. This site should have an ecological risk screening conducted, including tier 2 to compare ecological benchmarks to site concentrations. Bill Janes
2/7/2005 Update or Other Action DEC reviewed the file in response to an inquiry from USGS (Bronwan Wong (sp?) 786-7110). USGS will be conducting feild work this summer, collecting multi media samples for mercury analysis. DEC has no objection to the sampling effort, would like to review the work plan and see the final report. David Pikul
6/6/2006 Update or Other Action Site transferred from Pikul to Horwath. Aggie Blandford
6/28/2006 GIS Position Updated Using Figures 1, 2 & 3 from the Cinnabar Creek Mine Site Inspection Report, Kashegelok, Alaska, dated December 2000 from Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team, in conjunction with TopoZone Pro, entered the coordinates for this site. Metadata includes USGS Topo Map 1:63K, TopoZone Pro Street Maps, on a Medium size Map, View Scale 1:50,000, Coordinate Datum WGS84. Moderate to high degree of confidence in accuracy of location. Alyce Hughey
7/19/2006 Update or Other Action Project manager changed from Horwath to English, per Paul Horwath. Alyce Hughey
9/7/2006 Update or Other Action Conducted a historic file review and drafted a Site Status and Risk Evaluation Memo for management review. Recommendation made to not spend State funds at this time due to relatively low risks associated with inorganic contamination. Monica English
10/9/2006 Update or Other Action Project Manager changed from Monica English to Paul Horwath, per Paul Horwath. Alyce Hughey
9/26/2007 Conditional Closure Approved ADEC Record of Decision issued to ADNR dated 9/26/07, conditionally closing this former mine site. Jim Frechione signed the ROD. Paul Horwath
9/26/2007 Institutional Control Record Established Conditions of approval and institutional controls are as follows: 1)ADNR is required to identify this former mine site on the state status plat records as a potential risk site, 2) No soil or groundwater may be transported from this site without prior ADEC review and approval. Paul Horwath
4/7/2011 Update or Other Action File transferred from Soldotna to AnneMarie Palmieri in Haines on 4-7-11. Fileroom Database updated. Alyce Hughey
12/6/2011 Update or Other Action File received in Soldotna office from AnneMarie Palmieri in Haines on 12-6-12. Fileroom Database updated. Alyce Hughey
12/27/2011 Update or Other Action Correspondence from EPA Region 10 received this date. EPA has completed a review of existing information and has determined that no further federal action will be taken. The site is therefore considered an eligible response site under CERCLA Section 101(41)(C)(i). Bill Janes
3/13/2014 Site Reopened Site re-opened due to confirmed data from 2013 documenting Hg exposures to resident fish species in Cinnabar Creek adjacent to this mine. Sally Schlichting
6/28/2018 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC met with DNR (current landowner) to discuss the site and future actions. Anne Marie Palmieri
4/1/2019 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letters were sent to 4 former operators, 1 former landowner (BLM), and the current landowner (DNR) on this date. Responses were requested by end of May. Anne Marie Palmieri
4/1/2019 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letters were sent to 4 former operators, 1 former landowner (BLM), and the current landowner (DNR) on this date. Responses were requested by end of May. Anne Marie Palmieri

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
Arsenic - Total > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Antimony - Total > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Mercury - Total > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Arsenic - Total > Surface H20 Criteria Surface Water - Fresh

Control Type

Type Details
CS Database Notation And Letter To Landowner/RP ADNR required to identify the Cinnabar Creek Mine site on the state status plat records as a potential risk site. No soil or groundwater may be transported from the site without the prior ADEC review and approval.

Requirements

Description Details
Excavation / Soil Movement Restrictions No soil or groundwater may be transported from this site without prior ADEC review and approval. None, unless soil or groundwater is to be transported from this site.
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site. ADEC approval required prior to any offsite soil or water transport. None unless soil or water is to be transported off-site.

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close

Public Notices  •  Regulations  •  Statutes
Press Releases  •  Contact

 

State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

P.O. Box 111800
Juneau, AK 99811-1800
Phone: 907-465-5066
Fax: 907-465-5245
TDD: 800-770-8973
Physical Location: 410 Willoughby