HORIZON INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS SITE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is cutting emissions from gold ore processing and production facilities with a new standard that will reduce annual mercury emissions by more than 75 percent from 2007 levels.  This action is one of several steps EPA is taking to reduce mercury levels in our environment, which can damage children’s developing brains and nervous systems even before they are born.

EPA’s action sets the first national standard for mercury air emissions from industrial gold production, the seventh largest source of mercury air emissions in the country. Cuts made to meet the standard will build on the progress that has already been made under the state of Nevada’s successful program for controlling mercury emissions from precious metal mining.

There are more than 20 facilities that extract gold from ore that will need to meet the requirements of the rule within three years.  Some facilities in Nevada already are making significant progress toward the federal requirements under that state’s program.

Mercury in the air eventually deposits into water, where it changes into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish. People are primarily exposed to mercury by eating contaminated fish. Because a  developing fetus is most sensitive to the toxic effects of methylmercury, women of childbearing age and children are regarded as the populations of greatest concern.

This news and the fact sheet that follows are from the US EPA, 16 December 2010. 

FINAL RULE TO REDUCE MERCURY EMISSIONS FROM GOLD MINE ORE

PROCESSING AND PRODUCTION SOURCES

FACT SHEET

ACTION

On December 16, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for gold ore processing and production facilities, the seventh largest source of mercury air emission in the United States.

• We estimate the final rule will reduce mercury emissions by 1,460 pounds per year (down to about 1,200 pounds per year), or about a 77 percent reduction from 2007 levels.

• Gold ore processing and production facilities extract gold from mined ore. There are more than 20 gold ore processing facilities in the United States, all of which would be subject to today’s final rule.

• Some facilities in Nevada, including some of the nation’s largest gold ore processing facilities, are already making significant progress toward the proposed reductions under the Nevada Mercury Air Emissions Control Program, which requires controls at precious metal mining facilities.

• EPA estimates capital costs of this final rule at $36.5 million, with annual costs of $9.1 million a year.

• Mercury is the only air toxic that would be regulated under this final rule. Gold processing and production facilities have not been identified as major sources of hazardous air pollutants, also known as air toxics. A “major source” emits 10 or more tons a year of a single air toxic, or 25 or more tons a year of a combination of toxics.

• However, because gold ore processing and production is a significant source of mercury emissions, it falls under a section of the Clean Air Act that requires EPA to establish standards known as maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for sources of seven air toxics known as persistent, bioaccumulative pollutants, including mercury.

• Mercury in the air eventually deposits into water, where it transforms into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish. Americans are primarily exposed to mercury by eating contaminated fish.

• Because methylmercury can damage children’s developing brains and nervous systems, even before they are born, women of childbearing age and children are the population of greatest concern.

This Fact Sheet is available at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/gold_mines_fs_121610.pdf.