The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Hassayampa Field Office has begun an environmental remediation project at the former Wickenburg Mill Site, near Wickenburg. The project will consist of the construction of a barbed wire fence, collection of soil and mine waste rock samples, & removal of abandoned mill structures. Construction of the barbed wire fence has begun & is expected to be completed by mid-November.
The purpose of this project is to protect the public from physical safety hazards, & to assess the environmental & human health risks resulting from the former Wickenburg Mill site. The site was a former manganese stockpile site, & began operations after World War II; milling operations ceased on this site in the mid 1990s.
Soil sampling was performed in August 2007. Soil & mine waste rock samples were analyzed to determine the composition of the materials dispersed across this 30-acre site. The sample results indicated high levels of manganese in & around the mill site boundaries. While manganese is not considered a hazardous waste as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the levels exceed the State of Arizona’s soil remediation standards for residential exposure. The soil remediation standards are designed to protect human health based upon regular exposure to the materials for an extended period of time.
BLM has primary remedial authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for public lands under its administrative jurisdiction & is further studying the sample results. A “Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation (PA/SI)” report's being prepared by the BLM in accordance with CERCLA. The public will be involved throughout the CERCLA process.
Because several physical safety hazards exist on the mill site, the BLM asks the public to refrain from using the property for recreational off-highway vehicle use. As part of the PA/SI report process, the BLM is developing a plan for removing the abandoned structures, backfilling excavated areas, & reclaiming the site. In the coming months, there may be restrictions to the BLM roads passing around the site; please use caution when workers are present. If you have questions or comments about the project, contact James at the BLM Phoenix District at (623) 580-5500.