Mining activity

[Darian]

Mike,.... It's probably a good thing you don't eat a lot of those Bass... . If you did, the accumlated Mercury in your body might sink your kayak.... :P

[HC]

2short, This thread has a nice bit of history and includes good risk information regarding mining and the affect on the environment as seen through a fishers eyes. I could add one more thing. Hard rock (holes in the ground) mining can also contribute to watershed pollution. Also sorts of toxic minerals are disturbed and brought out to be ignored or processsed. Mine tailings over time weather and leach harmful amounts of disolved mineral into the environment. This can occur at any altitude in any state or country. The list of offending minerals is ever long but do contain a lot of heavy metals. If you plan to drink or use stream water a good water filter is a must when out there, boiling won't fix this stuff. Other than that its our oyster to care for have and enjoy. Now I'am not knocking mining, just adding a little to this thread. Good fishing. HC

[Hairstacker]

HC, excellent point you've made about treating the water for drinking by filtration rather than boiling. Never considered that one. . . .

[Tony Buzolich]

Hi Darian,

My dad and I used to fish a hole on the opposite side of Negro Bar when I was a kid and my dad always carried a gold pan. While dunking bait and getting board, he'd show me how to pan and look for gold but we always came up with several drops of "Quick-silver" which I now know to be mercury.

Hmmm, I think I may still have some in a water vial somewhere.
TONY

[Darian]

Hey Tony,.... I recall, when I was a kid, that we used to use mercury to make quarters shine by rubbing the mercury into the surface of the quarters with our finger tips.... (Probably explains a lot about my personality ) Don't recall where we obtained the mercury, tho Can you imagine how many people handled those quarters after that....

several years after doing that I read an article that said that mercury in the air diffuses into tiny droplets and disperses in the air... . Then it attaches to whatever it encounters (internal or external)... . It can spread into carpeting, etc., throughout a house... . Used incorrectly, this is some bad stuff.... .

[2short]

HC,
I do carry a filter for water purification when I'm on the water for longer than a half day. I must admit it never occured to me the filter could be sparing me from heavy metals. I was just worried about the bever-fever. Thanks for the extra info.
2short

[Darian]

Just a quick mention of safety issues surrounding abandoned hard rock mines... . If you're out fishing/wandering around, you might encounter an abandoned mine tunnel. DO NOT enter the tunnel. The list of dangers associated with abandoned mines is too long for me to list here .

If you're involved in an accident in one of these tunnels and are alone and/or not properly equipped, you'll have a lot of time to regret the decision to enter... .

Remember, the Allegheny District (Grass Valley, Nevada City, Downieville, Allegheny area) was/is the most prolific gold producing area in the state. Lotsa abandoned mine shafts in that area. Many in other areas throughout the state....

If you have a hankering to explore mines, try the Malakoff Diggins, Empire-Star Mine or Coloma State Parks.... Much safer .

Be safe and have fun out there.... .

[Digger]

Sounds like compund interest for the large predatory fish. Everybody they eat already has mercury built up in them so they may reach eleveted levels faster.
2short :P

even worse are the 'boneless browns' at the water treatment discharge area.