Bulletin: Service, Industry Partnerships Protect Migratory Birds From Cyanide Mine Wastes

News reports of deaths of fish and birds from cyanide pollution in Europe, caused by a January 30 overflow from a dam at a Romanian gold mine, dramatically highlight the danger to wildlife from this toxic chemical. In the United States, cyanide-laden wastewater, a byproduct of a common gold mining technique, once routinely killed thousands of migratory birds each year. Today birds and mining often co-exist without conflict, thanks to the efforts of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement officers and innovative partnerships with the gold mining industry.

Cyanide leaching "heap" at a gold mining operation near Elko, Nevada.	Cyanide solutions recover gold from mountainous piles of ore and rock, called heaps.	The mining company installed nets over this small pond to keep migratory birds out. Ponds of this size are typically used for mixing the cyanide mining solution.	A huge tailings pond containing cyanide-laden wastes covers acres at a gold mine near Elko, Nevada.
[Click on photos for larger images] CREDIT: Gary Mowad, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (all photos)

"Over the past decade, we've worked closely with the mining industry to address the problem of bird mortality," said Kevin R. Adams, chief of the Service's law enforcement division. "Education, enforcement, and teaming to find solutions are helping to safeguard a natural resource every bit as valuable as gold."

Cyanide heap leaching, which uses cyanide solutions to recover gold from large piles of low- grade ore, set off a new U.S. "gold rush" in the late 1980s and early 1990s by making it profitable to "mine" rock containing only small amounts of metal. Heap leach gold mines, however, collect cyanide-laden wastewater in huge holding ponds, some of which cover as much as 60 acres.

In the semiarid west, these ponds attract migratory birds; they promise water, food, and rest, but deliver instead a lethal dose of cyanide. Every bird fatality occurring at one of these ponds violates the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a longstanding federal law that makes it illegal to kill any of more than 800 protected bird species.

Service law enforcement officers have investigated bird deaths at heap leach gold mines in Colorado, Nevada, South Dakota, and Montana. "We've seen fines and penalties assessed in many cases, but more importantly, we've alerted the industry to the problem. Many companies are working with us to protect birds," Adams said.

The industry has successfully identified ways to help eliminate bird fatalities. Smaller ponds are now netted to keep birds out, and new techniques for applying cyanide solutions to ore heaps prevent toxic liquids from collecting and attracting birds. Companies have installed cyanide recovery systems to treat mine wastes, removing cyanide for reuse at the mine and detoxifying the large holding ponds, making them safe for birds.

The Victorville and Battle Mountain gold mines in Colorado are among those that voluntarily introduced bird protection measures at their heap leaching operations. Consultation with Service law enforcement officers helped the companies understand their conservation responsibilities and find ways to remove hazards to migratory birds.

"Ideally, companies elect to use the tools that are now available to protect birds. But when they don't, we uphold the law and do what we can from an enforcement perspective to keep birds alive," Adams said.

In one recent case, for example, the Service documented the deaths of hundreds of birds at a Montana gold mine. Charged with the illegal take of migratory birds, the mine agreed to a negotiated settlement involving payment of a $10,000 fine and the installation of a $5.1-million cyanide recovery system to prevent future bird mortalities.

Contact: Sandra Cleva at R9LE_WWW@fws.gov or call (703) 358-1949