Asarco El Paso crushed slag was used as ROOFING BALLAST

"Posted on July 6, 2007

Asarco Slags Off
In response to Sick ‘Em, City of El Paso: Going After Asarco, by Chris Cummings. [link]

Great article.

I think that it is interesting that we all look at the "reduced" pollution and repelling blight on the landscape; but, we ignore what is going into the ground. Years back, I was involved in a building renovation project where the existing roof ballast was crushed slag from ASARCO. The roof had leaked for a good while and the water seeped into the structural reinforced concrete roof deck. The acid from the rain and slag had completely corroded the steel reinforcing and the concrete was disintegrating.

How much longer will we allow this albatros to hang around the necks of those who are trying to sell El Paso to progressive, clean businesses. Maybe if we cleaned up our billboard blight, we could better get the full impact of the ASARCO view.

Thank you,

Mervin Moore"
http://www.newspapertree.com/opinion/1522-readers-responses

up to the end of 1996, Asarco's baghouse (Pugmill) had routed exhaust to the 308 ft stack NOT THE 828 FT STACK

1996 Asarco El Paso ALTERATION TECHNICAL REVIEW   Permit No: 20345 Company: ASARCO Incorporated   Project Type: CRVN Facility Name: REROUTE CONVERTER   Record No: 46064  City: El Paso   Account No: EE-0007-G County: El Paso  
.....
PROJECT OVERVIEW
 
ASARCO requested that they be allowed to reroute the baghouse stack exhaust from the pugmill from the present 308-foot stack to the 828-foot copper stack annulus.  There will be no increase, or decrease, of emission rate from this facility.
 
REQUEST FOR COMMENTS  
REGION: 6 Reviewed by: Archie Clouse  
CITY: El Paso Reviewed by: Jesus Reynoso
 
.....
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
 
The exhaust gasses from the holding furnace and converters, which are rich in SO2,  are cleaned of particulate matter before they are conditioned and converted to SO3.  The SO3 gas is then scrubbed with water to produce 98% sulfuric acid.  The particulate matter captured from this gas stream is sent to the pugmill where it is mixed with a little moisture and loaded in rail cars for recycling.  Some of this material is recycled at this facility.
 
A safety inspection has shown that the 308-foot stack is in need of repairs.  The stack was originally built over  80 years ago.  The company wants to reroute the pugmill baghouse exhaust stack to the taller copper stack  annulus.  The old stack will be removed.  The taller stack will give better dispersion of the emissions.
 
SOURCES, CONTROLS AND BACT  
The pugmill is controlled by the baghouse, which is BACT.  In my opinion, BACT has been applied to this facility.
 
IMPACTS EVALUATION
1. Was modeling done? No  Type?  N/A
 
2. Will GLC of any air contaminant cause violation of NAAQS?
NO
 
3. Is this a sensitive location with respect to nuisance?  
NO
 
4. Is the site within 3000 feet of any school?  
NO
 
5. Toxics Evaluation: This is a change of representation for the pugmill baghouse stack to vent into a taller stack.  This will help lower the off-property impacts.
 
COMPLIANCE HISTORY
 
1. Was a NOV issued for construction without a permit?  
NO
 
2. Was the NOV resolved by issuance of permit?
N/A
 
Comments:
 
MISCELLANEOUS
 
1. Is applicant in agreement with special conditions?  
Yes
 
Company representative(s)? Tom Martin
 
Contacted via? Fax
 
Date of contact?
9-24-96
 
2. Did the franchise tax verify the applicant to be in good standing?
N/A
 
Permit Engineer     Date  Team Leader/Section Manager/Backup  Date
 
C:\NSRFORMS\FM\TECHRVW.FM
 
Revised 06-11-96

1997 Encycle applied to handle a metal-bearing liquid from US Army RMA, Colorado

CHEMICAL DIVISION

STANDARD EXEMPTION REGISTRATION REVIEW

Company: Encycle /Texas Inc.                   

Registration Number: 34843      Record Number: 49506

Contact Name: Roger Norman                      

Phone: 512-289-0300 ex 243     Fax: 6713       

Description of Overall Unit:   The company requests to handle  a metal bearing liquid from the US Army’s Rocky Mountain Arsenal.   Permit HW-50221 applies.                         

Description of Facilities/Processes Claimed in this Registration and Exemptions Claimed: The company claims that  all Requirements of Exemption 118 are met.             

Sources, Emissions and Control Summary: This review is being conducted under standard exemption rules only.  The company claims that the liquid (analysis attached) should have emissions of approximately zero.  The liquid is mixed with sodium sulfite to precipitate metals.  The liquids will have any emissions vented through a scrubber.  The only emissions based upon the analysis would be from dissolved low concentrations of ammonia and bromine.  Any very small emissions of ammonia or bromine that would volatilize out of the liquid will be soluble and very scrubbable.  Emissions should be approximately zero.  The distance to the nearest receptor is estimated at 600'.  The emissions of ammonia and bromine would be under a limit of  (E = 18/65 = 0.28 lbs/hr) and  (E = 0.7/65 = 0.011 lbs/hr).  

Pollution Reduction - Source or Device(s) None

VOC__ No__ Sox__ CO__ PM__ HAS__

P.D. or Nonattainment Netting Required?  No   Submitted?     NSPS: No      NESHAPS No  

All General and Specific Conditions are met?  Yes  

Reviewed By:   John Gott   Team Leader:                  

Date: 2/27/97           Date:                       
https://webmail.tceq.state.tx.us/servlet/webpub

Thousands of Asbestos Claims Delay ASARCO Reorganization Plan

Thousands of Asbestos Claims Delay ASARCO Reorganization Plan

Copper-mining company ASARCO LLC has asked a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Corpus Christi, Texas to grant them an extension for filing their reorganization plan, claiming that they are overwhelmed with asbestos injury claims and myriad environmental pollution lawsuits.

According to a Forbes article, the company claims it is justified in asking for an extension until December, noting that it’s case is complex. The mining company is currently facing 95,000 personal injury asbestos-related claims. The deadline for reorganization is currently set to expire on August 9th, 2007.

“While Asarco’s reorganization may not be the largest corporate reorganization in history based on assets alone, it certainly rivals any previous Chapter 11 case for complexity and breadth of the individual issues involved,” a statement issued by the company said.

ASARCO has already received six extensions since filing for bankruptcy in August 2005. A spokesperson for the company notes, however, that they have made “significant progress” in developing their restructuring plan and negotiating with creditors and expect to be able to meet the December date if the extension is granted.

According to the article, the company has also filed motions to obtain court-approved estimates of the tens of thousands of asbestos claims as well as 850 tort claims and its liability for environmental cleanup.

ASARCO is currently faced with environmental claims filed by the U.S. government, 16 states, two Indian tribes and private parties. Those claims total more than $10 billion, according to the company.

Lawyers for those individuals with asbestos claims against ASARCO have noted that the company’s asbestos liabilities are between $906 million and $2.66 billion.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 5th, 2007 at 10:58 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

http://www.maacenter.org/news/thousands-of-asbestos-claims-delay-asarco-reorganization-plan.html

Mexico: miners on strike (Grupo Mexico)

"Published: 07.05.2007

Mexico miners begin 24-hour walkout over safety concerns

The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY - Mexican miners began a 24-hour nationwide walkout Thursday to press demands for labor authorities to address safety concerns.

Carlos Pavon, secretary of political affairs at the National Mining and Metal Workers Union, said the walkout began in the early morning, although the union didn't know yet how many workers had honored the strike call.

The walkout affects, among others, Grupo Mexico, a major copper producer, and Industrias Penoles, the world's top silver producer. The 250,000-member union also includes workers of steel plants owned by Arcelor Mittal in the Pacific port of Lazaro Cardenas.

An official at Grupo Mexico said that early reports showed its zinc mine in the northern state of Zacatecas was 30 percent affected by the walkout and that work was halted at a small mine in the city of Taxco, in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero. The official had no report yet from Cananea, the country's largest copper mine, in the northwestern state of Sonora.............."

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/business_headlines/56660

Improved early morning diet can help block some effects of lead

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology ; VOL. 56 ; ISSUE: 4 ; PBD: Apr 1996
Gulson, B.L. [Macquarie Univ., Sydney (Australia)]|[CSIRO/dEM, North Ryde (Australia)] ; Howarth, D. [CSIRO/dEM, North Ryde (Australia)] ; Mizon, K.J. [Lyell McEwin Health Service, Elizabeth Vale (Australia)][and others]
ABSTRACT: The goal of hazard abatement is the identification and systematic elimination of lead hazards in the community, which should ultimately result in lowering of blood lead (PbB), especially in children. Such a goal is a daunting task in mining or smelting communities such as Broken Hill in Australia where industrial activities operating for more than 100 years and natural weathering over millennia have resulted in widespread contamination.The single most important factor in managing of childhood lead poisoning is reducing the child`s exposure to lead. Luke reviewed the remediation programs in seven large smelter operations outside Australia using environmental and biological indices, before and after intervention, to gauge the success. He concluded that outcomes varied from temporary improvements in Kellog, Idaho to apparently more successful outcomes in El Paso and Dallas, Texas. At Port Pirie, Luke identified that the most significant predictor of a reduction in PbB levels was permanent relocation out of the high risk areas, whereas in a later assessment Maynard identified, in addition to permanent relocation, level of expenditure on house dedusting and refurbishment, improved dust hygiene practices, and improved early morning diet as likely to reduce PbB levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on PbB of relocation of two families from their source of lead, in this case from the Broken Hill mining community. To gauge the impact of relocation, the results are compared with twenty seven children who relocated within the Broken Hill community from high to low risk areas. 24 refs., 1 tab.

Why Would a Las Crucen Care About Asarco?

Robert Rowley

"Many of us in the City of the Crosses follow El Paso politics closely. Perhaps we can learn a lesson from our Big Sister in Texas: how to shut down a major polluter that doesn’t have the citizens’ best interests in mind.

Posted on July 3, 2007
I won’t speak for other Las Crucens, but I am one resident of the City of the Crosses who adamantly opposes Asarco reopening in El Paso....."
see the following link for the story....
http://www.newspapertree.com/opinion/1514-why-would-a-las-crucen-care-about-asarco

Public Participation in Environmental Permitting in TEXAS

http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/files/gi-233.pdf_4009567.pdf

Slide Show of idled old smelter

Asarco El Paso (idled closed old smelter)

KTSM Channel 9 breaking news: TCEQ Public Interest Counsel accuses Asarco of breaking state code...

"ASARCO Battle Continues
New allegations against ASARCO have surfaced after a report was released by a state agency created to represent the interest of citizens.

Saturday, June 30, 2007 - The Office of Public Interest Council is among those who oppose ASARCO's reopening.

The agency claims the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ, violated a state code when it gave the copper smelter a second chance to renew its air quality permit....."
http://www.ktsm.com/news/local/8266732.html

Asarco smelted wastewater sludges from mine drainage clean-up

Heavy-metal sludges as smelter feedstock. (Asarco Inc.) : How Asarco Cleans Mine Discharge Water and Scores Economic Benefits As Well
http://www.rst2.edu/ties/LEAD/university/resources/experts/new/sludge.htm

also read:
http://www.communityrights.org/Newsroom/crcInTheNews/DW4-7-05.asp
("Grazin' Hell by Prendergast, about Montana DOJ environmental politics)

Asarco would take us back to a polluted past

Writers on the Range - Writers on the Range - May 14, 2007 by Robert Rowley

Robert Rowley

I remember the first time I tasted the air near the Asarco copper smelter in El Paso, Texas. It was 1990, and my wife and I had just moved there from Tucson, Ariz., to start teaching jobs in the English Department at the campus of the University of Texas-El Paso. I soon met two professors who shared my love of hiking, and the three of us were returning home from an all-day trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, when we saw a dense cloud hanging over the freeway near the university.......

http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.WOTRArticle?article_id=17045

Secret trade agreement delayed, Peru asked to comply with environmental (and other) standards

How will this affect Grupo Mexico, their Southern Peru Copper mine and Asarco's wish to push a re-opening in El Paso by August, next month? Could it be that the Bush Administration (whose Carlyle group owns much of Grupo Mexico) might have to acknowledge what happened here in El Paso and Corpus Christi and clean up -- rather than continuing to make money dumping environmental liabilities on the taxpayers here, and taking away profits?

"Democratic leaders in Congress put off a vote on trade agreements with Peru and Panama until those countries revamp their laws to comply with new labor and environment standards in the accords. The demand is a blow to the Bush administration, which pressed the Democratic majority in Congress to have the Peru agreement approved next month."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4933661.html

How will this affect Grupo Mexico, the Southern Peru Copper mine and Asarco's wish to push a re-opening in El Paso by August, next month?

"
"Democratic leaders in Congress put off a vote on trade agreements with Peru and Panama until those countries revamp their laws to comply with new labor and environment standards in the accords. The demand is a blow to the Bush administration, which pressed the Democratic majority in Congress to have the Peru agreement approved next month."

Congress has ordered the EPA to restore its libraries

Victory for Librarians, EPA Library Funding

After considerable pressure by librarians, researchers and the public,

American Library Association
Washington Office Newsline
ALAWON
Volume 16, Number 075
June 29, 2007



Victory for Librarians, EPA Library Funding

After considerable pressure by librarians, researchers and the public, Congress has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to restore its library network. In the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Interior Appropriations bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee orders EPA to reopen the closed libraries. Last year, EPA closed its Headquarters Library in Washington, DC, to visitors and walk-in patrons. EPA also closed several regional libraries, the toxics and pesticides library and the Ft. Meade Environmental Science Center Library.
The language reads

“$2,000,000 shall be used to restore the network of EPA libraries recently closed or consolidated by the administration. While the Committee approves of efforts to make environmental data collections available electronically, the Committee does not agree to further library closures or consolidations without evidence of how the public would be served by these changes. Therefore, the Committee expects the EPA to restore publicly available library facilities in each region. EPA is directed to submit a plan on how it will use this funding increase to reopen facilities and maintain a robust collection of environmental data and resources in each region by December 31, 2007.”

The bill is now headed to the full Senate for consideration. The House-passed FY 2008 Interior Appropriations bill doesn’t contain the EPA library language.
In the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Interior Appropriations bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee orders EPA to reopen the closed libraries. Last year, EPA closed its Headquarters Library in Washington, DC, to visitors and walk-in patrons. EPA also closed several regional libraries, the toxics and pesticides library and the Ft. Meade Environmental Science Center Library.
The language reads

“$2,000,000 shall be used to restore the network of EPA libraries recently closed or consolidated by the administration. While the Committee approves of efforts to make environmental data collections available electronically, the Committee does not agree to further library closures or consolidations without evidence of how the public would be served by these changes. Therefore, the Committee expects the EPA to restore publicly available library facilities in each region. EPA is directed to submit a plan on how it will use this funding increase to reopen facilities and maintain a robust collection of environmental data and resources in each region by December 31, 2007.”

The bill is now headed to the full Senate for consideration. The House-passed FY 2008 Interior Appropriations bill doesn’t contain the EPA library language.

May 1999 BHP smelter in AZ idled

BHP Billiton have altered the status of their copper smelting and refining plant at San Manuel,[AZ] USA from care and maintenance to permanent closure. [Used Pierce converters and flash furnace]

The plant has been idle since May 1999 when it entered into care an maintenance mode. Since then they have looked at numerous strategies to bring the plant back online, but none proved economically viable.

The remaining staff will be focus on safety and environmental issues, while the decommissioning and reclamation of the site will be completed over the next 5 to 7 years.

The closure brings to an end 50 years of operation for the San Manuel smelter....

Posted October 27th, 2003
http://www.azom.com/details.asp?newsID=864

"1997: After next year's major rebuild, the San Manuel [BHP] smelter will operate for another 10 years on mini-shutdowns. This strategy will save BHP roughly $200 million over the next 10 years before the next major rebuild, resulting in more cash flow and value for BHPstakeholders.

Craig Steinke is Group General Manager and Senior Vice President of Metals in San Francisco and Pj Cannon, an Assistant Editor for On Cu.
This article is reprinted with permission from the publication,
On CU, April – June, 1997,Vol. 1, No. 3."

Asarco Noose Tightens, But Who Will Hang?

"Asarco Noose Tightens, But Who Will Hang?

by Sito Negron

It’s possible the issue could be decided by August, although because the process already has taken many twists, various elements could slow it down. That includes a potential change on the Commission that will decide the issue. Meanwhile, the TCEQ is reviewing the comments filed June 18.

Posted on June 29, 2007

The Asarco saga will come to a head this summer. Or not. But the noose is tightening …........................................"
[complete story is on page
http://www.newspapertree.com/politics/1504-asarco-noose-tightens-but-who-will-hang]

"But Asarco’s history also is an issue raised by permit opponents. The single largest issue is the question of hazardous waste illegally disposed at Asarco – how much, and what type? That question was raised in an agreed order in 1999, in which Asarco agreed to pay a fine but did not admit to wrongdoing. However, an EPA memo indicated that the agency wanted to take legal action. [Read the background for that story.]

As a result of that order, Asarco agreed to pay the city for paving alleys. [story]

For a primer on the Asarco issue, please see
Asarco Links.

Back to the most recent: Newspaper Tree presents seven documents filed June 18, 2007, outlining the issues now being argued by permit opponents and by Asarco.

Asarco [link]

New Mexico Department of Environmental Quality [link]

Office of Public Interest Counsel [link]

City of El Paso [link]

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh [link]

Sierra Club [link]

Sunset Heights Acorn [link]"

Constellation Copper Corporation to Proceed with

Bankable Feasibility Study on the Terrazas Copper-Zinc

Oxide Project, Chihuahua, Mexico

DENVER, COLORADO--(CCNMatthews - Apr 26, 2004) - Constellation Copper Corporation is pleased to nnounce it will proceed with a bankable feasibility study on the Terrazas copper-zinc oxide open pit heap leach project,[the Phelps Dodge Mining Company, for example, at its Morenci, AZ mine, has completely disassembled its smelter and has converted the mine to a mine-for-leach operation. It takes fewer employees and is more cost effective.] located in Chihuahua, Mexico. Drilling contractors Layne de Mexico S.A. de C.V. and Perforaciones Godbe de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. have been selected for a combined 20,000 meters of RC and core drilling. Drilling will define the mineral resources contained in the 2002 pre-feasibility study completed by Jacobs Engineering Group, provide core samples for additional column leach test work, test open extensions to the current mineral resource, and explore newly acquired ground peripheral to the existing resource. BSi Inspectorate has been selected for the

analytical work.....

http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show_print.jsp?action=toolbox&showText=all&actionFor=427099&industry=false

Asarco acted as the Atomic Energy Commission uranium ore-buyer in 1948

"Contracts for Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) procurement of these precipitates were extended in 1948. Furthermore, the AEC initiated plans to put three idle vanadium mills back to work, with production of uranium as their primary purpose. Toward this end, it purchased the plant at Monticello, Utah, in June 1948, from the War Assets Administration. The ore-purchasing agent is the American Smelting & Refining Co. By the end of the year negotiations were nearly complete for rehabilitation and operation of the plants at Durango and Uravan, Cob., by private companies. All five mills were expected to be operating before the end of 1949."

Confirmation of buried barrels of waste at Asarco’s Troy mine comes to the surface

Digging deep

Confirmation of buried barrels of waste at Asarco’s Troy mine comes to the surface

Written by MICHAEL MOORE and MICHAEL JAMISON Photographed by MICHAEL GALLACHER of the Missoulian

TROY – For more than half a year, attorneys for the companies involved in the Troy mine’s past and future have denied an environmental group’s claim that barrels of waste are buried in the mine’s tailings impoundment.

The mining attorneys asked a federal judge in Missoula to dismiss that claim, made in December 2002 in a lawsuit brought by the Cabinet Resource Group, at the most fundamental level – they simply said it never happened.

“Neither the state nor any of the defendants are aware of, nor can they find any evidence of, any such violations,” attorneys for Asarco and the Sterling Mining Co. of Montana wrote in a March brief seeking dismissal of the case.

Then a strange thing happened. Tim Bechtold, one of CRG’s attorneys, filed a notice alerting the company attorneys that he planned to depose Lee McKinney, a former mill manager at the Troy mine.

On Oct. 14, Bechtold had a telephone call from Asarco attorney John Davis, who said the company would now admit that at least some waste had been “deposited” in the 400-acre impoundment, which stores waste rock from the mining process:

“On the basis of information obtained from a former employee of Defendant ASARCO, Mr. Lee McKinney, Defendant ASARCO admits that a quantity of barrels containing flocculant and absorbent material were deposited into the tailings impoundment at the Troy mine in approximately 1988,”

http://www.missoulian.com/specials/troy/troy01.html