(Facility) Asarco Refinery

The (Facility) Asarco Refinery is a copper mine located in Pierce county, Washington at an elevation of 16 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Name: (Facility) Asarco Refinery

State:  Washington

County:  Pierce

Elevation: 16 Feet (5 Meters)

Commodity: Copper

Lat, Long: 47.3, -122.50560

Map: View on Google Maps

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.


Satelite image of the (Facility) Asarco Refinery

(Facility) Asarco Refinery MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: (Facility) Asarco Refinery
Secondary: American Smelting and Refining Co.


Commodity

Primary: Copper
Tertiary: Nickel
Tertiary: Arsenic


Location

State: Washington
County: Pierce


Land Status

Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: New York
Info Year: 1974


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Plant
Plant Type: Refiner
Operation Type: Processing Plant
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N


Physiography

Not available


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Not available


Comments

Comment (Deposit): CERCLA (SUPERFUND) SITE. SITE IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL), MAY 10, 1993. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS INCLUDE (1) ACID MINE DRAINAGE CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS, AND (2) MINE DUMPS AND MILL TAILINGS CONTAINING HEAVY METALS. ASARCO SMELTER, A SUBSITE OF THE REFINERY, IS ALSO ON THE STATE REPORT. BOTH SITES HAVE CONFIRMED AIR, SURFACE WATER, GROUNDWATER, SEDIMENT, AND SOIL CONTAMINATION: EPA PRIORITY POLLUTANTS-METALS AND CYANIDE; OTHER METALS; BASE/NEUTRAL/ ACID ORGANICS; HALOGENATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS; NON-HALOGENATED SOLVENTS; POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAH); CONVENTIONAL ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS; ASBESTOS. STATUS: REMEDIAL ACTION IN PROGRESS. NOTE: THE REFINERY HAS BEEN DISMANTLED. AS OF 1993, THE SITE IS BEING RECLAIMED.


References

Reference (Production): WASHINGTON STATE DEPT. OF ECOLOGY. CONFIRMED AND SUSPECTED

Reference (Deposit): DIRECTORY OF WASH. MANUFACTURERS, 1974.

Reference (Production): CONTAMINATED SITES REPORT, OCT. 13, 1993.


Washington Gold

Where to Find Gold in Washington

"Where to Find Gold in Washington" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Washington.