Red Devil Mine is in a remote and isolated area of southwestern Alaska, 250 miles west of Anchorage.  Cinnabar was mined here; mercury was extracted  from the ore.  The mining operation spanned from 1933 until 1971, and produced approximately 35,000 2.5-quart flasks (76 lbs. per flask) of mercury.  By the 1990s, the mine was hardly noticeable from the air and consisted of a small clearing and a scattering of building ruins.  The mine is accessed from the Kuskokwim River or by aircraft via a gravel airstrip at nearby Red Devil Village.

Less visible, but perhaps more impacting, are the environmental effects the operation left behind after the mine played out.  The processing of the ore (cinnabar) and the naturally metal-rich host rock resulted in heavy metals contaminating the soils and adjacent stream sediments with mercury, antimony, arsenic, and lead.

The Red Devil Mine is on federal lands managed by the BLM. The BLM is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to investigate the extent of contamination and conduct the cleanup.  The BLM is coordinating with the area's Native corporations and the local community of Red Devil Village to keep all parties informed.

The BLM began investigating the site in the late 1980s and, under the advice of the EPA, began cleanup efforts.  These early efforts included removal of transformer oil containing PCBs and other processing chemicals and the posting of warning signs.  The site remains posted and closed to the public for safety reasons. 

Accomplishments to Date:

1989-1999

• Site investigations were completed in 1989 and 1999.  
• Site sampling in 1999 was completed due to a request from the EPA to allow them to reevaluate the site according to their Hazards Ranking System.  
• Documentation was completed to cover National Contingency Plan (NCP) requirements for Action Memorandum and Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA). 
• The Administrative Record was established as required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liabiliy Act (CERCLA).

2000:

• An EE/CA was completed to analyze response options for known mercury contamination around the retort building and to analyze additional sampling requirements.
• Completed additional site characterization: field screened with an XRF (x-ray fluorescence spectrometer); sampled and laboratory analyzed samples across the site for metals (mercury, arsenic, antimony, lead) and hydrocarbons.
• Inspected and cleaned fuel system (pipes and tanks). 
• Removed and disposed of waste/contaminant sources. These included 53,000 pounds of mercury contaminated slag and debris which contained visible free mercury and 3,000 pounds of asbestos and used oil/fuel.
• Completed asbestos and lead survey of all buildings (required to demolish buildings).
• Completed site topographic survey and geotechnical borings needed to design landfill.

2001:

• Complete draft site conceptual Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP).
• Seek public comment and regulatory concurrence on conceptual SWMP (EE/CA Amendment).
• Finalize SWMP.

• Prepared statement of work and obligated funds for:

  • The design and installation of an impermeable cap over the contaminated retort area soils/tailings utilizing the Area of Contamination (AOC) concept.
  • Developing the design, construction, and implementation of an on-site repository for the Retort building debris.
  • Hazardous debris/waste to be treated and placed in a fully lined on-site monofill cell;
  • Non-hazardous debris to be placed in a separate non-hazardous solid waste monofill.
  • Demolition of the remaining site buildings and placing them in an on-site non-hazardous solid waste monofill.
  • Fill data gaps identified in EE/CA Amendment and conduct benchmark treatability tests for chemical stabilization and encapsulation of wastes.
• Completed a risk assessment.

2002:

• Conducted community relations activities, including public meetings, public notices, coordination of remedial plans, and maintenance of the Administrative Record.
• Prepared work plan for completion of Interim Removal Project for the contaminated retort area and debris.
• Executed the demolition, treatment, and on-site landfilling (monofill #2) of the Retort building, tailings, and other items of contaminated waste in the AOC.
• Demolition and landfilling (monofill #1) of non-hazardous buildings and other on-site debris.

2003:

• Conducted community relations activities.
• Demolished five empty 100,000-200,000 gal Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs).
• Conducted Site Characterization and Assessment of the ASTs area. The investigation indicates that approximately 2,300 cubic yards of diesel type fuel contaminated soils around the former AST footprint area exceeds ADEC cleanup criteria.
• Demolished the Mill Hopper.  Steel debris from the hopper and ASTs was disposed in monofill #3.
• Conducted ground water sampling from the established monitoring wells for change in water quality, i.e. potential increase in target metals.  This is year one of a five-year program.  No change was noted, and target metals were not found in groundwater.
• Inspected the monofills for signs of settling or erosion.
• Conducted an investigation of the recently identified older retort facility that was apparently destroyed by fire in the mid-1950s.  The purpose of this investigation was to fingerprint any contamination on site and see if this can be correlated to historic retorting operations.  Results of the investigation indicate that no remedial action will be needed at the site of the "historic" retort facility. 

2004:  Inspected the monofills for settling or erosion.

2005:

• Developed an ADEC approved Corrective Action Workplan to remediate the petroleum contaminated soils at the former AST area.
• Successfully excavated release areas at the former fuel barge landing and at three of four ASTs where releases were documented in 2003.  Approximately 1,400 cubic yards (CY) of petroleum contaminated soils were placed in a containment cell to await remediation.
• Removed some additional non-hazardous solid waste discovered at the mine site during the 2003 field activities.
• Conducted a round of groundwater sampling as part of the five year monitoring plan
• Inspected and repaired minor settling and erosion noted at the monofills.
• Completed US Survey 13450 (21.48 acres) to delineate the site, to allow conveyance of surrounding lands.

2006:

• Continued excavation of the final AST release area (AST #5) and stockpiling of petroleum impacted soils from that area.

  • The plume under the AST #5 footprint has been partially excavated, however the full vertical and horizontal extent of contamination remains unknown.
  • Groundwater sampling needs to be accomplished as the depth of the excavation indicates diesel fuel could have reached groundwater.  The existing monitoring wells at the site are up-gradient of the potential fuel plume; additional wells are required to be installed.
• A total of 3,306 cubic yards of diesel fuel contminated soils from the 2005 and 2006 excavations were placed in two on-site stockpile cells.

2007:

Conducted annual ground water sampling from the five established monitoring wells for change in water quality, i.e. potential increase in target metals. 
Inspected the monofills for signs of settling or erosion. 

2008:

• During early 2008 BLM was notified that upon request from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had reevaluated the Red Devil Mine, determining that the Site’s Hazard Ranking Score was high enough to make the Red Devil Mine eligible for placement on the National Priorities List.
• Conducted annual ground water sampling from the five established monitoring wells, and inspected the condition of the monofills and the diesel fuel contaminated soil stockpiles.
• Hosted a joint BLM, EPA, and ADEC inspection of the Site to familiarize the regulators with the Site.
• Secured funding from the US Department of Interior to begin a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) to properly address the concerns ADEC and EPA have about the Site.

 Planned for 2009:

• Develop a formal Project Management Plan for conduct of the RI/FS.
• Initiate field investigations to fully characterize the Site and properly determine it’s overall impact on human health and the environment.
• Develop a remediation plan for the diesel fuel contaminated soil stockpiles, and investigate the full extent of contamination at AST #5.   

To keep the public and all interested parties informed, BLM maintains an Administrative Record that includes all related site documentation (reports, correspondence, etc.). The paper copy of the Administrative Record is maintained at the BLM Anchorage Field Office Public Room. A downloadable electronic version of the Administrative Record may be accessed by following this link: Red Devil Mine Site CERCLA Administrative Record.

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