Salt Chuck Mine sits on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska. It operated as a gold, silver, copper, and palladium mine until 1941. EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in March 2010 at Alaska's request. The site covers abandoned mine workings on land and extensive mine tailings in the nearby marine area where the former mill once stood.
The contamination picture is fairly focused. A remedial investigation completed in March 2018 sampled soil, groundwater, tailings, surface water, sediments, and crab and clam tissue. It found no unacceptable human health risks. A separate 2015 health consultation confirmed that harvesting and eating clams or vegetation from the site is not expected to harm regular traditional users or occasional recreational visitors. The one remaining concern is copper in marine sediment within the tailings disposal and depositional areas in the bay. A supplemental investigation to take a closer look at those copper-related ecological risks is currently underway, with an estimated completion date between June and August 2027.
Some cleanup work has already happened. In 2011, the Forest Service removed 8,400 tons of petroleum-contaminated tailings and soil, demolished mill structures, removed storage tanks and debris, and restored the excavated areas through backfilling, grading, covering, and revegetation. Historic mine equipment was left onsite as required by the National Historic Preservation Act. EPA has determined that human exposure is under control and that groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Even so, physical construction of cleanup work is not yet complete, and the site is not yet ready for anticipated use.
Once the current investigation wraps up, EPA will select a final remedy around the same time. Remedial design is estimated to begin in mid-to-late 2027 and run through mid-2028. Actual cleanup construction has not yet started. In the meantime, the Salt Chuck area is used for ecological conservation and recreation. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources designated it as crucial habitat for black bears, waterfowl, herring, and salmon. Visitors can fish, boat, harvest shellfish, and hike the Salt Chuck Trail to learn about the area's mining history.
Community members who want to stay informed or ask questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site. EPA previously held public town meetings in Thorne Bay and Kasaan in May 2013 to share investigation results. Site records are available at the Craig Public Library in Craig, Alaska, or through the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center in Seattle, Washington, reachable by phone at 206-553-4494 or toll-free at 800-424-4372 extension 4494, or by email at R10_SF_Records_Center@epa.gov.
