BLM plans mercury cleanup at Barnes Butte

Portions of Barnes Butte in Prineville will be temporarily closed to public access from June 8 – 22 while the Prineville BLM works with a contractor to remove mercury-contaminated soil.

“There is no danger to anyone living nearby; however, we need the public to stay out of the area during the cleanup,” Friday’s announcement said.

The site of the cleanup will be staked and posted and signs will be removed when it is safe to return to the area.

Prineville BLM has contracted with NRC Environmental Services, a company with more than two decades experience cleaning up toxic sites, to remove the contaminated soil.

Once excavated, the soil will be sealed in specially-adapted trucks and hauled to a licensed disposal facility in northeast Oregon.

Barnes Butte used to be the site of a mercury mine back in the 1940s, officials said.

Mercury is found mainly in cinnabar ore. It normally enters the environment as a result of the slow breakdown of minerals in rocks and soil through exposure to wind and water.

When mined, the mercury is extracted through a heat process that leaves more concentrated deposits of this metal in what is commonly called tailings.

Although the site was only mined for a short period of time, the “leftovers” of the mining process are still with us today, the BLM said . Spots with these tailings have higher than normal concentrations of mercury than are considered safe for humans and animals.

When the work is done, Barnes Butte will still have mercury – it is a natural part of the environment, the agency said. But there won’t be the heavy concentrations that were caused by the mining process. It will be safe for the hikers, hunters, runners and horseback riders to enjoy.

For more information about the cleanup, contact the Prineville BLM at (541) 416-6700 or learn more about the BLM, visit their webpage at http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/index.php.