CHARACTERIZATION OF TRACE METAL CONCENTRATIONS AND MINING LEGACY IN SOILS, BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO

摘要

The Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) is located in an area steeped in mineral exploitation dating back to the 1880s. The Colorado Mineral Belt is comprised of igneous intrusions and ore deposits from the Laramide orogeny. This band strikes northeast/southwest through the region, stretching 250 miles (Tweto and Sims, 1963). Beginning in the late 1800s, this region was mined for gold, tungsten, lead, silver, and zinc (Fig. 1). Along with prospecting, mining, and smelting, this region was subject to deforestation and development with the flux of settlers in the late 1800s (Veblen and Lorenz, 1991). The surge of European settlers in the mining boom made this region an industrial hub, utilizing processes now known to have negative impacts on ecosystems.