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NPL Site Narrative for Kennecott (North Zone)
KENNECOTT (NORTH ZONE)
Magna, Utah
Federal Register Notice: January 18, 1994
The Kennecott (North Zone) site is located near the south shore of the Great Salt Lake. Magna, the nearest town, has a population of approximately 17,800 people and is located south of the large Kennecott tailings pond. Salt Lake City is approximately 15 miles east of the tailings pond. The site covers a large area and sources of contamination include the 5,700 acre tailings pond, a slag pile, contaminated residential soils in the town of Magna, and the refinery evaporation pond.
Kennecott Copper Corp., which owns the site (excluding portions of Magna), has operated a wide variety of mineral processing and production facilities in the area since around 1900. The primary metal currently produced is copper, mined south of the site at Kennecott (South Zone), which is also being proposed to the NPL at this time.
Contaminants in the various sources include arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc. Analysis of ground water monitoring wells have found high levels of arsenic and selenium. The principal aquifer, which supplies water to the Magna municipal water system, underlies many of the sources at the site. In addition, surface water analysis near wetlands shows releases of copper to the ditch near the large tailings pond.
Current Kennecott activity in the North Zone site involves smelting and refining the concentrated copper ore that has been mined from the open pit approximately 20 miles south of the site.
Kennecott is conducting an investigation in the area near the smelter to determine the nature and extent of the contamination prior to constructing a new smelter.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.